The DVFF Bob Wisecarver Scholarship
(Click Here for Past Recipients)
Scholarship Background
With an increased membership and an improved fiscal picture DVFF made a very big move in 2007 by establishing an annual $2,000 scholarship fund for research in Fisheries Biology and/or Riparian or Limnetic Ecology. The scholarship will go to a selected student of the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Center of Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture (CABA).
The scholarship is named in Bob Wisecarver's honor to recognize his long-standing leadership and contributions to DVFF, and his dedication to fly fishing and the environment. Some pertinent facts and tidbits about Bob fully substantiate his being chosen for this honor:
- When DVFF was formed in September of 1968, Bob became the clubs first President and member serving through 1972.
- In the following years he served as Treasurer, Director and Windknots Editor.
- Under his leadership DVFF instituted fly tying and rod building classes, casting instruction, informative monthly programs and the Windknots.
- Bob has continued to be a great contributor, and has always been one of the club's premier fly-casting instructors.
UC Davis was chosen after the Board of Directors made a concerted search and evaluation of potential universities in northern California. It became very clear after our Jan 30, 2008 visit by Board members to UCD that we truly had picked a world-class research organization. DVFF's scholarship program is currently being administered by Professor Raul H. Piedrahita, Ph.D. - Director, Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture. UCD has a number of professors who lead the field in fisheries research, including Professor Peter Moyle, Ph.D. - Associate Director, Watershed Sciences. Dr. Moyle is the current "go to" fisheries technical expert on the Delta.
The Scholarship Process
The following depicts the typical process for selecting a student for the DVFF scholarship:
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The application process starts at the beginning of each year with an award announcement about the March timeframe. The student uses the funds to directly support the research work they are doing to obtain a graduate degree (either masters or PHD). Students should contact the UC Davis Center of Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture to apply.
2010 Recipient: Bjorn Erickson
Bjorn Erickson was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, graduating in 2001 with a major in ecology and a minor in music. His field work in college included a field course in central America, and thesis research
involving parental behavior in migratory birds in New Hampshire. Following graduation, Bjorn moved to New York for a year, during which time he worked in a genomics laboratory at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. This position was his first real introduction to genetic work, and has had a lasting effect on his career development.
Looking to combine a newfound interest in genetics with ecology, Bjorn moved to Hawaii, where he began a project aimed at genetic assessment and management of a genus of highly endangered endemic tree snails. He enjoyed the opportunity to work both on the scientific and the management side of a conservation issue. After four years at that position, Bjorn was inspired to return to school and seek a PhD in ecology at U.C. Davis.
Bjorn is now in his third year, doing research in the Genomic Variation Laboratory. During this experience he was introduced to the intriguing world of California fisheries. Bjorn hopes, as he continues research on the Kern River rainbow trout, that his work can make a meaningful contribution to the preservation of California's native trout.
Following school, Bjorn hopes to continue working with conservation and environmental issues. He plans to seek employment with a state or federal government agency, or possibly with a non-governmental organization, in the field of conservation.
2009 Recipient: Rebecca Quiñones
Rebecca (Becca) Quiñones has studied salmon and trout habitat use in California rivers and estuaries for the last fifteen years. Since 2002, the primary focus of her work has been on the recovery of salmon and trout populations in the Klamath River, the topic of her PhD dissertation at the University of California at Davis.
In her third year at UCD's Ecology program, her dissertation work aims to understand how land use, fisheries management, and climate change impact salmon and trout movement and survival. She is looking at the rings in salmon earbones to determine migration and growth patterns. Salmon earbones grow in rings, similarly to trees, incorporating molecules from the water where fish live. Consequently, she can match the molecular chemistry in different rings to the chemistry of water samples from different locations to reconstruct fish movement. She hopes that this information will identify streams and tributaries that are enhancing or limiting salmon production so that restoration activities can be prioritized.
To date, the earbones of 400 steelhead trout, Chinook salmon and coho salmon adults from the Klamath River basin have been analyzed. She will be analyzing the earbones of juvenile salmon and trout in the coming months. Beyond being a graduate student, Becca holds a permanent position as a fisheries biologist for the Klamath National Forest where she works closely with stakeholders in making policy and management decisions. This summer, she will be conducting stream surveys to determine the impact of 2008 wildfires on coho salmon critical habitat.
2008 Recipient: Alpa Wintzer
As you will see from the brief bio below, DVFF is very fortunate to have as our first scholarship recipient, Ms. Alpa Wintzer. She is truly performing the type of research needed to help stem the tide of the complex problems facing our California fisheries.
"I have always been fascinated by fishes - first, maintaining them in aquaria and then obtaining SCUBA certification, at the age of 12, to observe them in the wild. So, it was no surprise that after leaving my home state of Ohio for Boston University, I found my way into their marine program. My fishy interests were gradually focused towards various aspects of fish feeding biology (ecology, morphology, physiology, etc.) while working at the Ohio State University and completing a Master's degree at the University of South Florida. I then moved to California to work as a biological science technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Although it was only to be a temporary position, this experience proved to be pivotal for me in terms of my research direction. During my short tenure, I learned about the complex balance entailed in providing water for residents of dry western states while managing populations of at-risk fishes. To make matters worse, invasive species are widespread in the region, further hindering conservation efforts. I came to understand the need for sound research into these problems.
I am currently enrolled in the doctoral program in ecology at the University of California, Davis. Under the tutelage of Dr. Peter Moyle, the leading expert on California fishes, my desire to work in this field is reinforced everyday. My dissertation research focuses on a trio of invasive hydrozoan jellyfish and their possible implication in the recent pelagic fish decline within the upper San Francisco Bay Estuary. This work will yield crucial information regarding the feeding ecologies of these introduced organisms and whether they compete with at-risk fishes for food resources.
When I am not in research mode, I enjoy participating in public outreach conservation activities, reading, running, molten glasswork, and traveling."