Rob Mooney joined Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a division of the Prairie Research Institute, on July 16, 2024, as an assistant research scientist. He completed his BS and MS at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, and then went on to receive his PhD from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Between finishing his PhD and arriving at INHS, Rob worked as a postdoctoral researcher and as an instructor in the Department of Integrative Biology at UW Madison. Rob's research interests and experiences span a range of aquatic science topics, from invertebrate behavior to ecosystem-scale stressors to fisheries management, and he has been fortunate to work in some of the Midwest's coolest aquatic ecosystems: Driftless Area trout streams, the Laurentian Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River. We sat down with Rob to learn more about his experiences and interests.
What is your background before coming to work at the INHS?
I completed my BS and MS at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and then finished my PhD at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. After that, I had an interesting combination of research and educational-based postdoc positions, along with instructional roles.
What are you looking forward to the most in your new role at INHS?
I'm most looking forward to doing cool, actionable science that can be directly applied to ecosystem management. And I'm excited to be joining such an awesome team of scientists at the Illinois River Biological Station!
How old were you when you first became interested in science? What sparked your interest?
I became interested in science when I was about 17 because I thought it would help me become a better angler! I became obsessed with aquatic insects and their life cycles, and how those patterns influenced fish.
Who or what drew you to study freshwater ecosystems?
Fish and aquatic insects!
What advice would you give to future scientists?
Follow your gut if you think something is really interesting or cool, and try not to be afraid to fail every once in a while!
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Rob can be reached at the Illinois River Biological Station by phone at 608-669-4016 or by email at rjmooney@illinois.edu.
