What's New:
September 2023
Erin Shepta, Dr. Montana, and Collaborators published new paper in the journal Biological Invasions
Congratulations to all, in special to Erin for leading this first chapter of her MS research thesis!!
Erin Shepta, Dr. Montana, and Collaborators published new paper in the journal Biological Invasions
Congratulations to all, in special to Erin for leading this first chapter of her MS research thesis!!
August 2023
Dr. Montana traveled to Grand Rapids Michigan to present at the American Fisheries Society annual conference. She and former/current Kirk Winemiller lab member organized a special symposium at the AFS to Honor Winemiller' Legacy in the field of freshwater fisheries.
Dr. Montana traveled to Grand Rapids Michigan to present at the American Fisheries Society annual conference. She and former/current Kirk Winemiller lab member organized a special symposium at the AFS to Honor Winemiller' Legacy in the field of freshwater fisheries.
July 2023
Dr. Montana and collaborators from 23 US universities published a new study in the journal Bioscience highlighting the importance of biodiversity collections and how transformative research in frreshwater ecology integrating biodiversity collections, stable isotope analysis (SIA), and environmental informatics allows evaluation of long-term ecological change at local to continental scales. BioScience. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad039
Congratulations to the whole team!!!
Dr. Montana and collaborators from 23 US universities published a new study in the journal Bioscience highlighting the importance of biodiversity collections and how transformative research in frreshwater ecology integrating biodiversity collections, stable isotope analysis (SIA), and environmental informatics allows evaluation of long-term ecological change at local to continental scales. BioScience. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad039
Congratulations to the whole team!!!
June-August 2023
The Montana lab at SFASU, The Riverscape Lab (Dr. Josh Perkin, www.riverscapeecology.org/) and Systematic Ichthyology Lab at Texas A&M University started long-term collaborative research in East Texas rivers studying the Fish biodiversity in Neches and Sabine River basins.
Our students from TAMU and SFASU have been intensively to complete 2023 summer sampling season.
The Montana lab at SFASU, The Riverscape Lab (Dr. Josh Perkin, www.riverscapeecology.org/) and Systematic Ichthyology Lab at Texas A&M University started long-term collaborative research in East Texas rivers studying the Fish biodiversity in Neches and Sabine River basins.
Our students from TAMU and SFASU have been intensively to complete 2023 summer sampling season.
May 2023
Dr. Montana and SFA students/Faculty traveled to Guyana to conducted international collaborative research in the Guiana Shield- research founded by National Science Foundation.
MS Graduate Student Anastasia Simpson joined the Montana lab.... Welcome to the lab Annie as a MS student!
Dr. Montana and SFA students/Faculty traveled to Guyana to conducted international collaborative research in the Guiana Shield- research founded by National Science Foundation.
MS Graduate Student Anastasia Simpson joined the Montana lab.... Welcome to the lab Annie as a MS student!
April 2023
Dr. Montana and collaborators published a new study highlighting the detection, occupancy and abundance of Alligator Snapping Turtle in Texas https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22409
Congratulations to Siena Stassi (Env. Science Undergrad) for being selected as the SFA undergraduate to represent our university at the State Undergraduate Research Conference at the Capitol, Austin Texas.
Congratulations to Eli Torrez (Biology Undergrad) for taking the 1st. Place on her poster presentation at the 23rd Annual Ecological Integration Symposium (EIS) at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Montana and collaborators published a new study highlighting the detection, occupancy and abundance of Alligator Snapping Turtle in Texas https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22409
Congratulations to Siena Stassi (Env. Science Undergrad) for being selected as the SFA undergraduate to represent our university at the State Undergraduate Research Conference at the Capitol, Austin Texas.
Congratulations to Eli Torrez (Biology Undergrad) for taking the 1st. Place on her poster presentation at the 23rd Annual Ecological Integration Symposium (EIS) at Texas A&M University.
March 2023
Members of the Montana Lab (Undergrads: Caroline Crisp, Eli Torres, and Siena Stassi and Graduate: Chase Nimee) presented their research projects at the 2023 Annual Ecological Integration Symposium (EIS) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. Congratulations to all.
Members of the Montana Lab (Undergrads: Caroline Crisp, Eli Torres, and Siena Stassi and Graduate: Chase Nimee) presented their research projects at the 2023 Annual Ecological Integration Symposium (EIS) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. Congratulations to all.
February 2023
Members of the Montana Lab (Caroline Crisp, Eli Torres, Chase Nimee, and Dave Peterson) presented their research projects at the 2023 Annual meeting of Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society in Corpus Christi, Texas. Congratulations to all.
Members of the Montana Lab (Caroline Crisp, Eli Torres, Chase Nimee, and Dave Peterson) presented their research projects at the 2023 Annual meeting of Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society in Corpus Christi, Texas. Congratulations to all.
January 2023
Two new publications from the Montana Research Lab:
Changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of an urban stream fish assemblage: a 30-year perspective. 2023. Frontiers, Sec. Freshwater Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.965291
Ecological aspects of the Pirate perch (Aphredoderus sayanus) in East Texas Streams. 2023. Southeastern Naturalist, 21(4):299-315 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1656/058.021.0407
Chase Nimee joined the Montana Lab at SFASU for his MS program in Biology. Welcome Chase!
Caroline Crisp (SFA Biology Undergraduate) started her project assessing Red River pupfish populations in the upper Brazos River
The Montana lab started the new year 2023 meeting our collaborators for the Wild Animal Initiative (WAI) collaborative research: Wichita State, Texas State University, US Forest Service.
Two new publications from the Montana Research Lab:
Changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of an urban stream fish assemblage: a 30-year perspective. 2023. Frontiers, Sec. Freshwater Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.965291
Ecological aspects of the Pirate perch (Aphredoderus sayanus) in East Texas Streams. 2023. Southeastern Naturalist, 21(4):299-315 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1656/058.021.0407
Chase Nimee joined the Montana Lab at SFASU for his MS program in Biology. Welcome Chase!
Caroline Crisp (SFA Biology Undergraduate) started her project assessing Red River pupfish populations in the upper Brazos River
The Montana lab started the new year 2023 meeting our collaborators for the Wild Animal Initiative (WAI) collaborative research: Wichita State, Texas State University, US Forest Service.
October 2022
Students at The Montana lab started the Fall 2022 fish tagging of imperiled species in local streams in east Texas streams.
Eli Torres (Biology Undergraduate), Sophie Scott (Env. Science Undergraduate) and Megan Beeksmam (Forestry Undergraduate) joined the Lab!!
Students at The Montana lab started the Fall 2022 fish tagging of imperiled species in local streams in east Texas streams.
Eli Torres (Biology Undergraduate), Sophie Scott (Env. Science Undergraduate) and Megan Beeksmam (Forestry Undergraduate) joined the Lab!!
September 2022
Dr. Montana presented research seminar at Western Michigan university "Everything is bigger here! Conservation challenges of Texas stream fishes"
July - August 2022
Jamie Stephan joined the Montana Lab at SFASU for her MS in Biology. Welcome Jamie!
The Montana lab and the Hoeinghaus Lab at University of North Texas were busy surveying endangered shiners in the upper Brazos River, Texas.
Dr. Montana presented research seminar at Western Michigan university "Everything is bigger here! Conservation challenges of Texas stream fishes"
July - August 2022
Jamie Stephan joined the Montana Lab at SFASU for her MS in Biology. Welcome Jamie!
The Montana lab and the Hoeinghaus Lab at University of North Texas were busy surveying endangered shiners in the upper Brazos River, Texas.
July 2022
Dr. Montana presented research at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists @ Spokane (WA)
June 2022
Dr. Montana received a collaborative National Science Foundation Grant award-IRES program to research Freshwater Biodiversity in the Guiana Shield, South America
Dr. Montana presented research at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists @ Spokane (WA)
June 2022
Dr. Montana received a collaborative National Science Foundation Grant award-IRES program to research Freshwater Biodiversity in the Guiana Shield, South America
May 2022
Dr. Montana presented research seminar at University of Wyoming "Conservation of stream fishes: a temperate and tropical perspective"
The Montana lab attended the Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society meeting in Hunt, TX and present oral and poster presentations.
Dr. Montana presented research seminar at University of Wyoming "Conservation of stream fishes: a temperate and tropical perspective"
The Montana lab attended the Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society meeting in Hunt, TX and present oral and poster presentations.
Big CONGRATULATIONS!! Erin Shepta (Biology, MS), Jake Swanson (Env. Science, MS), Andy Lara, Zachary Hutchens and Courtney Plummer (Biology Undergrads) Graduated.
April 2022
Siena Stassi, Zachary Hutchens and Courtney Plummer presented their research at the Undergraduate Research Conference at SFASU! Congrats to all.
Erin Shepta, Zachary Hutchens, Courtney Plummer and Andy Lara presented their research projects at the Ecological Integration Symposium at Texas A&M University!!!Congratulations to Erin Shepta, Zachary Hutchens, Siena Stassi and Andy Lara for being awarded with he travel grant to present at the Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society on May 17-19, 2022. Way to go guys!
Congratulations to Erin Shepta!! She successfully defended her MS thesis. Way to go Erin!
Siena Stassi, Zachary Hutchens and Courtney Plummer presented their research at the Undergraduate Research Conference at SFASU! Congrats to all.
Erin Shepta, Zachary Hutchens, Courtney Plummer and Andy Lara presented their research projects at the Ecological Integration Symposium at Texas A&M University!!!Congratulations to Erin Shepta, Zachary Hutchens, Siena Stassi and Andy Lara for being awarded with he travel grant to present at the Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society on May 17-19, 2022. Way to go guys!
Congratulations to Erin Shepta!! She successfully defended her MS thesis. Way to go Erin!
March 2022
Dr. Montana was a guest on the podcast "Talk on the Wild Side"
hosted by the Ceasar Klebber Wildlife Research Institute, Texas. She shared her research experiences working in Texas fishes, the conservation of shiners in Texas, and invasive species.
Learn more here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/42M69zME6EwozKk1XKQ2ba
Congratulations to Zachary Hutchens and Courtney Plummer for being selected as finalists for the College of Science and Mathematics to present at the SFA Undergraduate Research Conference. Way to go!
Feb 2022
Our article entitled "Trophic Ecology and Resource Partitioning of Common Snook and Mexican Snook in the Usumacinta River Delta was published in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tafs.10340 Congratulations to everyone!!
December 2021
Siena presented at the SFA ATCOFA Undergraduate Research Conference. She was awarded 1st. Place Top Scholar Student for her presentation in Microplastics in surface and sediments in streams in East Texas. Congrats! Way to go Siena!
October 2021
Our article entitled: Trophic ecology and resource partitioning of Common Snook and Mexican Snook in the Usumacinta River Delta accepted for publication in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. Congratulations to everyone, in special to Edgar Abraham Aragón Flores as this was one of the topics of his PhD dissertation!
Dr. Montana and Collaborators from University of North Texas received award from Texas Comptroller Office study populations of Endangered fish species. We will be busy for 4-year!!!
TPWD Inland Fisheries State Wildlife Grant pre-proposal submitted. Finger crossed!!
September 2021
Our article entitled: The cost of gold: Mercury contamination of fishes in a Neotropical river food-web was published in Neotropical Ichthyology.
Collaborative Research proposal with Texas A&M University was submitted to National Science Foundation (NSF). Fingers crossed!
Our article entitled: Community assembly within ponds: the roles of space, time, and environmental gradients was published in Aquatic Ecology!
Research Grant proposal in collaboration with the University of North Texas was submitted to the the Texas Office of Comptroller. Fingers crossed!
August 2021
National Science Foundation (NSF) founded our collaborative research project for MRI: Acquisition of Tekran mercury speciation system. This is in collaboration with University of Texas at Tyler. Congrats to everyone!!
Siena Stassi (SFA, Env. Science undergraduate) joined the lab. Welcome Sienna.
Brittney Reese graduated from SFASU, Biology! Congratulation Britt.
July 2021
Dr. Montana was awarded with the SFASU Distinguish Grant Award: Faculty research First Award" for her research achievements since she arrived at SFA in Fall 2019.
Zachary Hutchens presented his summer research work on Impacts of urbanization in the populations of Sabine Shiner at the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) 2021 at SFASU. Way to go Zachary!
April 2021
Congratulations to Zachary Hutchens for being awarded with the Student Field Natural History Award at the 2021 The Southwestern Association of Naturalists (SWAN) meeting 22-24 April 2021. Zachary presented his research on Movements, Habitat use and Ecological aspects of the Sabine Shiner in East Texas streams. Way to go Zach!!
Our new book entitled: Peacock Bass: Diversity, Ecology and Conservation" by Kirk Winemiller, Leslie Kelso Winemiller & Carmen Montana) has been published by Elsevier.
March 2021
Dr. Montana was awarded with the SFA Research Grant Development for Summer 2021.
Congratulations to Zachary Hutchens for being one of the recipients of the 2021 Undergraduate Research Summer Award. Way to go Zach!
Congratulations to Jake Swanson (M.S. Student) recipient of the STMicroelectronics scholarship and the McCullough Family Scholarship from the ATCOFA.
Lucas Kahn (Undergraduate)
received Top Scholar winner at the 2021 SFA Undergraduate Research Symposium. Congratulations- Way to go Lucas!
Dr. Montana was a guest on the podcast "Talk on the Wild Side"
hosted by the Ceasar Klebber Wildlife Research Institute, Texas. She shared her research experiences working in Texas fishes, the conservation of shiners in Texas, and invasive species.
Learn more here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/42M69zME6EwozKk1XKQ2ba
Congratulations to Zachary Hutchens and Courtney Plummer for being selected as finalists for the College of Science and Mathematics to present at the SFA Undergraduate Research Conference. Way to go!
Feb 2022
Our article entitled "Trophic Ecology and Resource Partitioning of Common Snook and Mexican Snook in the Usumacinta River Delta was published in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tafs.10340 Congratulations to everyone!!
December 2021
Siena presented at the SFA ATCOFA Undergraduate Research Conference. She was awarded 1st. Place Top Scholar Student for her presentation in Microplastics in surface and sediments in streams in East Texas. Congrats! Way to go Siena!
October 2021
Our article entitled: Trophic ecology and resource partitioning of Common Snook and Mexican Snook in the Usumacinta River Delta accepted for publication in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. Congratulations to everyone, in special to Edgar Abraham Aragón Flores as this was one of the topics of his PhD dissertation!
Dr. Montana and Collaborators from University of North Texas received award from Texas Comptroller Office study populations of Endangered fish species. We will be busy for 4-year!!!
TPWD Inland Fisheries State Wildlife Grant pre-proposal submitted. Finger crossed!!
September 2021
Our article entitled: The cost of gold: Mercury contamination of fishes in a Neotropical river food-web was published in Neotropical Ichthyology.
Collaborative Research proposal with Texas A&M University was submitted to National Science Foundation (NSF). Fingers crossed!
Our article entitled: Community assembly within ponds: the roles of space, time, and environmental gradients was published in Aquatic Ecology!
Research Grant proposal in collaboration with the University of North Texas was submitted to the the Texas Office of Comptroller. Fingers crossed!
August 2021
National Science Foundation (NSF) founded our collaborative research project for MRI: Acquisition of Tekran mercury speciation system. This is in collaboration with University of Texas at Tyler. Congrats to everyone!!
Siena Stassi (SFA, Env. Science undergraduate) joined the lab. Welcome Sienna.
Brittney Reese graduated from SFASU, Biology! Congratulation Britt.
July 2021
Dr. Montana was awarded with the SFASU Distinguish Grant Award: Faculty research First Award" for her research achievements since she arrived at SFA in Fall 2019.
Zachary Hutchens presented his summer research work on Impacts of urbanization in the populations of Sabine Shiner at the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) 2021 at SFASU. Way to go Zachary!
April 2021
Congratulations to Zachary Hutchens for being awarded with the Student Field Natural History Award at the 2021 The Southwestern Association of Naturalists (SWAN) meeting 22-24 April 2021. Zachary presented his research on Movements, Habitat use and Ecological aspects of the Sabine Shiner in East Texas streams. Way to go Zach!!
Our new book entitled: Peacock Bass: Diversity, Ecology and Conservation" by Kirk Winemiller, Leslie Kelso Winemiller & Carmen Montana) has been published by Elsevier.
March 2021
Dr. Montana was awarded with the SFA Research Grant Development for Summer 2021.
Congratulations to Zachary Hutchens for being one of the recipients of the 2021 Undergraduate Research Summer Award. Way to go Zach!
Congratulations to Jake Swanson (M.S. Student) recipient of the STMicroelectronics scholarship and the McCullough Family Scholarship from the ATCOFA.
Lucas Kahn (Undergraduate)
received Top Scholar winner at the 2021 SFA Undergraduate Research Symposium. Congratulations- Way to go Lucas!
Photos of Field Research Activities
Internships & volunteering opportunities
at Montana Lab
Are you interested in aquatic ecosystems: ponds, streams, rivers? in aquatic organisms such as fish, aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles? The Montana Lab welcome motivate undergraduates with great interest in getting hands on research experience working on the field or lab settings.
Please, contact Dr. Montana via email if you are interested in volunteering or doing an internship in her lab.
at Montana Lab
Are you interested in aquatic ecosystems: ponds, streams, rivers? in aquatic organisms such as fish, aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles? The Montana Lab welcome motivate undergraduates with great interest in getting hands on research experience working on the field or lab settings.
Please, contact Dr. Montana via email if you are interested in volunteering or doing an internship in her lab.