Today's Voices of Conservation Science

Follow Today's Voices of Conservation Science
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

The science that is needed to conserve everything from alpine meadows to great white sharks is covered here as we interview young and seasoned scientists that are passionate about their profession and what they are studying. The podcast is hosted by the Department of Ecology at Montana State Univers…

Christopher Guy


    • May 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 67 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Today's Voices of Conservation Science with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Today's Voices of Conservation Science

    Katie Furey — Gerrard-strain Trout Don't Like Fish

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 50:38


    Katie Furey, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her passion for the natural resources, journey in many technician positions, and her research on trout in Montana. 

    Elisabeth Krieger — Elk Behavior in Eastern Montana: Hunting for Answers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 32:08


    Elisabeth Krieger, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her passion for sports, natural resources, and her research on elk in eastern Montana. 

    Alzada Roche — Climate Change: Emergence and Reproduction of Giant Salmon Flies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 34:52


    Alzada Roche, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her time working with the Montana Conservation Corps and her research Salmon Flies in the Madison River. 

    Teo Rautu — Whitebark Pine and Hydrologic Processes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 24:13


    Teo Rautu, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her time growing up in Washington, love of the outdoors, and research on whitebark pine.

    Coltan Pipinich — Dam: River Fragmentation and Brown Trout Movement

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 45:08


    Coltan Pipinich, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his time growing up in Montana, working for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and his research on brown trout.

    Jessica Harris — High Elevation Pines and Nature as a Safe Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2024 49:37


    Jessica Harris, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her time growing up in Michigan, mentors, women in conservation science, and her research on high-elevation pines.

    Keith Wellstone — Angling for Science in Yellowstone National Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2023 33:58


    Keith Wellstone, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his time growing up in Minnesota and California, experiences in field ecology, and his research on trout in Yellowstone National Park.

    Anna French — Moving Mud: Crayfish as Ecosystem Engineers

    Play Episode Play 41 sec Highlight Listen Later Feb 10, 2023 23:58


    Anna French, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her time growing up in Minnesota, challenges in graduate school, and her research on signal crayfish in Montana.

    Cayley Faurot-Daniels — Hi-Tech Science: Using eDNA to Find Pollinators

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2022 35:51


    Cayley Faurot-Daniels, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her many technician positions and her love for field biology. She also discusses her research using eDNA to identify pollinators in Glacier National Park.

    Nate Heili — Irrigation Ditches, Aquatic Insects, and Birds! Oh My!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2022 30:04


    Nate Heili, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his education, work in the west, and research on aquatic insects in irrigation ditches. 

    Carlisle Segal — Bison Grazing and Arthropods in Yellowstone National Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2022 39:01


    Carlisle Segal, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory, natural resource education, and graduate research on bison grazing and arthropods in Yellowstone National Park.

    Drew MacDonald — Yellowstone Lake: What's Up with the Juvenile Lake Trout?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 30:36


    Drew MacDonald, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his career trajectory, moving around, and research on juvenile lake trout in Yellowstone Lake.

    Alyson East — Remote Sensing Fire In The Amazon

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2022 32:06


    Alyson East, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory, struggles along the way, and research on remote sensing in the Amazon.

    Fritz Kalakay — Everything Comes Full Circle — Restoration of Aspen Stands

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2022 34:15


    Fritz Kalakay, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his career trajectory and research on aspens in Montana.

    Katherine Sparks — Research on “High-Five Pines" — Just Do It

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2022 26:04


    Katherine Sparks, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory and research on “High-Five Pines" (high-elevation pine trees).

    Thomas Meinzen — Can Roadside Lands Save the Pollinators?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 38:25


    Thomas Meinzen, a graduate in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his career trajectory and research on pollinators that use roadside lands.

    Lauren Gedlinske — From Grandmother's Garden to Studying Pollinators

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2022 23:48


    Lauren Gedlinske, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory and her research on floral scents and pollinators in Montana.

    Addie Dutton — No Typical Days as a Fish Biologist: Fisheries Management in the Mitten State

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 41:00


    Addie Dutton, a graduate of the Department of Ecology at Montana State University from the Fish and Wildlife Program, discusses her career trajectory, hurdles associated with getting into the conservation profession, and her position as a Fisheries Management Biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 

    Justin Gude — "I Love Being Outside" — A Career In Wildlife Research and Management

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 50:27


    Justin Gude, a graduate of the Department of Ecology at Montana State University from the Fish and Wildlife Management Program, discusses his career trajectory and his current position at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. 

    Kambwiri Banda — Helping animals: understanding the impacts of de-snaring on carnivores in Africa

    Play Episode Play 40 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 34:11


    Kambwiri Banda, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his career trajectory and research on the effects of de-snaring on carnivores in South Luangwa and Kafue National Parks.

    Sean Hoy-Skubik — We are all born as a scientist: understanding the effects of climate change on long-lived pine trees

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Oct 29, 2021 32:52


    Sean Hoy-Skubik, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his career trajectory and research on the effects of climate change on the physiology of whitebark pine, limber pine, and Great Basin bristlecone pine.

    Kadie Heinle — Fish are awesome: a dive into Yellowstone cutthroat trout research

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2021 29:54


    Kadie Heinle, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory and research on how drought and brown trout influence Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

    Elise Loggers — Give Back to the World and Bear Management Areas in Yellowstone

    Play Episode Play 60 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 20, 2021 42:32


    Elise Loggers, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory and research on Bear Management Areas in Yellowstone National Park.

    Claire Bresnan — From Jane Goodall to Bison Behavior in Northeastern Montana

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2021 32:57


    Claire Bresnan, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career trajectory and research on Bison in eastern Montana.

    Julie Cunningham — "It is Happing in the Rockies" — Wildlife Management in Montana

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2021 48:03


    Julie Cunningham, a wildlife biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, discusses her career development and passion for the landscapes and wildlife of the west.

    Ben Goodheart — Prey Depletion Effects on Wild Dogs in Africa

    Play Episode Play 60 sec Highlight Listen Later Apr 16, 2021 28:14


    Ben Goodheart, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his passion for conserving wildlife, career development, and research on wild dogs in Africa.

    Start of Season 4: Dr. Robert Garrott — Wildlife Research and Advice for the Wildlife Profession and Students

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 56:34


    Dr. Robert Garrott, a professor in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University and Director of the Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program (recently retired from MSU), discusses his amazing career in academia and studying large mammals throughout the world.

    Ben Tumolo — Ecosystem Engineering by the Net-Spinning Caddisfly

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2021 43:22


    Ben Tumolo, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses some of his academic struggles and research on the net-spinning caddisfly as an ecosystem engineer.

    Hayley Glassic — Work-life balance and the Food Web of Yellowstone Lake

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2020 45:41


    Hayley Glassic, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses the need for a healthy work-life balance and her research on the Yellowstone Lake food web.

    Whisper Camel-Means — From "digging around in the ditches" to creating highway underpasses for wildlife

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2020 45:44


    Whisper Camel-Means, a wildlife biologist for the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, discusses her passion for all things wild, education, and her current job that involves evaluating underpasses for wildlife.

    Ian Anderson — Fish Passage in the Yellowstone River

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 37:42


    Ian Anderson, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his passion for fisheries and his research on a fish passage structure in the Yellowstone River, Montana.

    Michael Siemiantkowski — Tracking Lake Trout

    Play Episode Play 33 sec Highlight Listen Later Oct 30, 2020 31:16


    Mike Siemiantkowski, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his passion for everything fish and his research on the tracking lake trout in Swan Lake, Montana.

    Zach Maguire — Macroinverts and Trout in the Madison River, Montana

    Play Episode Play 55 sec Highlight Listen Later Oct 16, 2020 26:43


    Zach Macguire, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his passion for wilderness, freshwater ecology, and the importance of mentorship. He also discusses his research on macroinvertebrates and trout in the Madison River, Montana.

    Thomas Sutton — Mesic Habitat Restoration

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2020 50:24


    Thomas Sutton, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his passion for wildlife management and his research on mesic habitat restoration.

    Colter Brown — "Happy for the Mountain Whitefish"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2020 22:52


    Colter Brown, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his experiences growing up in Wyoming and his research on mountain whitefish.

    Kristen Switzer — "Fight for Bees"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2020 25:42


    Kristen Switzer, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her passion for pollinators and her research on pollinators in Yellowstone National Park.

    Evan Shields — Trumpeter Swan Research in Yellowstone

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2020 42:28


    Evan Shields, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his passion for wildlife and his research on the trumpeter swan in Yellowstone National Park.

    Chloe Wasteneys — Love for Plants and Research on Whitebark Pine

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2020 40:20


    Chloe Wasteneys, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her winding path to graduate school, her love for trees, and her research on whitebark pine.

    Jessica Eggers — Mycorrhizal Fungi, Plants, and Climate Change

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2020 28:45


    Jessica Eggers, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses growing up on the Crow Reservation in Montana and how that shaped her passion for conservation and education. She also discusses her research on interaction among arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, plants, and climate change.

    Start of Season 3 — Dr. Andrea Litt shares her career path and passion for wildlife science

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2020 42:56


    Dr. Andrea Litt, Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career path and amazing research program on many wildlife species.

    Mary Levandowski — Wetland Biodiversity in Grand Teton National Park

    Play Episode Play 51 sec Highlight Listen Later Mar 6, 2020 33:02


    Mary Levandowski, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her research on wetland biodiversity in Grand Teton National Park. She also discusses here passion for nature and her passion is contagious!

    Shane Petch — Weddell Seal Research in Antarctica

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2020 26:11


    Shane Petch, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his love for the outdoors growing up in western Colorado and how he has overcome some periods of self-doubt. He also discusses his research on Weddell seals in Antarctica.

    Matea Djokic — Pallid Sturgeon and the Fat Meter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2020 23:44


    Matea Djokic, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career path from cognitive psychology to studying pallid sturgeon. She also discusses her novel research on pallid sturgeon and the fat meter.

    Kristen Cook — Mussels in Montana

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2019 28:15


    Kristen Cook, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her career path from horses to fish to mussels. She also discusses her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and how it intertwines with her graduate research on the Western Pearlshell mussel in Montana.

    Tanner Cox — Pallid Sturgeon in Montana

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2019 22:30


    Tanner Cox, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses how he became interested in the natural resource profession and what the profession can do to better market to undergraduates. He also discusses his research on the endangered pallid sturgeon in the Missouri River above Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana.

    Jonathan Merkle—African wild dogs in South Luangwa National Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2019 29:45


    Jonathan Merkle, a graduate student at Montana State University in the Department of Ecology, discusses his early love for museums and zoology. He also discusses his graduate research on African wild dogs.

    James Waxe—Sage Grouse Research in Montana (Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2019 28:36


    James Waxe, a graduate student at Montana State University, discusses sage grouse research in Montana and Idaho. He also discusses his passion for the natural world and how that moved him to get a degree in fish and wildlife management.

    Michael MacDonald—Caddisflies as Stream Engineers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2019 31:19


    Michael MacDonald, a graduate student at Montana State University in the Department of Ecology, discusses his wonderful path to graduate school. He also discusses his research on how caddisflies alter substrate stability and nutrient cycling.

    Taylor Preul—Conservation Propagation of Westslope Cutthroat Trout

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2019 34:55


    Taylor Preul, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses her path and hurdles to graduate school at Montana State University. She also discusses her research on the conservation propagation program for westslope cutthroat trout in Montana.

    Holden Reinert (Doing the Work of Beavers to Initiate Ecosystem Restoration)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2019 26:16


    Holden Reinert, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses his complex path to a graduate position at Montana State University and his research on the influence of beaver dam analogs on secondary production in streams.

    Maddie Lewis (From Bass Fishing to Bull Trout)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2019 15:28


    Maddie Lewis, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, discusses how she started her career in conservation and the path to her current position. She also discusses her research on bull trout in Graves Creek and East Fork Bull River, tributaries to the Clark Fork River.

    Claim Today's Voices of Conservation Science

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel