blog navigation

People of PRI
Prairie Research Institute

blog posts

  • A man on a boat holding a fish

    Jeremy Facer, research assistant

    Sep 26, 2024 8:00 am

    Jeremy Facer’s journey into the world of fisheries and environmental research began in the wilderness of Idaho, where he developed a deep appreciation for nature. Now a graduate student in the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences and research assistant with the Illinois Natural History Survey under Joseph Parkos, Jeremy focuses on studying fish and their prey’s response to supplemental habitats in aging reservoirs.

  • Tanner Jones

    Tanner Jones, irrigation and hydrology specialist

    Apr 24, 2023 4:00 pm

    Tanner works with the Illinois Water Inventory Program (IWIP), specifically on the irrigation side to find new ways to collect water usage figures that can help us understand the water status and water needs around the state and work on the data side to pair irrigator information with the information existing in the Water Survey. He also helps to communicate water usage analysis to the general public.

  • Sohan Singh

    Sohan Singh, postdoctoral researcher

    Jul 26, 2021 12:00 pm

  • Hongxu Zhou, postdoctoral researcher

    Oct 23, 2024 8:00 am

    Hongxu Zhou is a postdoctoral researcher at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. Hongxu's current research targets biochar systems for the destruction of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS.

  • Amber Zilinger

    Amber Zilinger, visiting scientific specialist

    Jan 24, 2024 10:45 am

    Amber Zilinger recently joined INHS as a visiting scientific specialist in soils and disease research in the Wildlife Veterinary Epidemiology Laboratory. 

  • Jameson Mori, 2024 PRI Early Career Investigator Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 7:45 am

    Jameson Mori, assistant research scientist at the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Wildlife Epidemiological Lab, has been named the recipient of the 2024 Early Career Investigator Award by the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) for their outstanding contributions to environmental science and interdisciplinary research.

  • Nico Galardy

    Nico Galardy, IT technical associate

    Sep 29, 2021 11:30 am

    Meet the Illinois State Geological Survey's new IT technical associate, Nico Galardy! Nico brings eight years of desktop computer support experience, with five of those being in the educational field.

  • Christine Atkinson

    Christine Atkinson, Bondville site researcher

    Feb 8, 2021 1:15 pm
  • Alexa Ashbrook

    Alexa Ashbrook, INHS graduate student

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 am
  • Mike Atkinson wearing a hard hat.

    Mike Atkinson, Bondville site researcher

    Feb 8, 2021 10:00 am
  • A woman wearing a hat and holding a toad.

    Hope Dermott, visiting scientific specialist

    Jun 27, 2024 8:00 am

    Hope Dermott joined INHS in the Wetland Science Program on May 20th as a Visiting Scientific Specialist in Wetland Science. She is currently working on her Master's degree in soil science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Kelsey Low, disease ecology research assistant

    Oct 22, 2019 12:45 pm
  • A woman in cold-weather attire stands in front of a snow-covered mountain.

    Katie Spaulding, GIS Specialist

    Aug 9, 2024 10:45 am

    We spoke with Katie Spaulding, a recent graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the newest visiting scientific specialist of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the Illinois State Geological Survey. Katie shared her journey from her undergraduate career to her current role at ISGS, where she combines her passion for the environment with advanced mapping technologies. 

  • Margaret Golden setting up equipment in a river.

    Margaret Golden, hourly research assistant

    Aug 10, 2021 8:00 am
  • Riley Balikian in a grassy area

    Riley Balikian, geophysicist and hydrogeologist

    Apr 14, 2021 8:00 am
  • A woman standing on a boat facing the camera. She is proudly holding a large gar fish using both of her hands.

    Rachel Prostko, water quality technician

    Dec 3, 2024 7:00 am

    Meet Rachel Prostko, a water quality technician at the Illinois Natural History Survey. Rachel brings her passion for lab and fieldwork to PRI, where she monitors water quality and studies zooplankton communities in the Mississippi watershed.

  • Walt Kelly poses for a photo at the awards ceremony.

    Walton R. Kelly, 2024 Research Scientist Career Achievement Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 2:00 pm

    Walton R. Kelly is the recipient of the Prairie Research Institute’s 2024 Research Scientist Career Achievement Award, which recognizes the achievements of a PRI scientist whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights have had a significant impact over the course of their career.

  • Josh Smith, smiling in front of yellow autumn leaves.

    Josh Smith, economic geologist and affiliate researcher

    Dec 17, 2024 7:00 am

    Josh Smith is a research specialist with the University of Illinois' Department of Earth Science & Environmental Change and a research affiliate with the Critical Minerals group at the Illinois State Geological Survey.

  • A male in a blue jacket stands in front of the Sydney Opera House.

    Jake Vile, undergraduate researcher

    Jul 26, 2024 2:00 pm

    Jake Vile, a recent graduate from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences recently joined the Illinois State Water Survey, a division of the Prairie Research Institute. Jake's passion for weather began at a young age, and he plans to further his studies with a M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences at the University at Albany this fall. At PRI, he contributes to the MITTEN-CI project, focusing on collecting and analyzing meteorological data. Jake's dedication and enthusiasm, combined with his extensive global experience, make him a valuable asset to our team. We sat down with Jake to learn more about his experience and plans for the future.

  • A man riding a horse with one hand over his head holding a cowboy hat.

    Justin Remmers, postdoctoral researcher

    Mar 7, 2024 2:15 pm

    Justin Remmers recently joined INHS as a Postdoctoral Researcher.

  • Sarah stands in front of a museum display, smiling with one hand on hip.

    Sarah Manderbach, water safety researcher

    Oct 29, 2024 8:00 am

    Sarah Manderbach is a water safety researcher at the Illinois State Water Survey, where she conducts vital research on private wells. At PRI, Sarah is researching testing for Legionella in private wells in Illinois. 

  • Sara P. Villazan Perez-Girones

    Sara Villazan Perez-Girones, visiting scientific specialist

    Feb 13, 2024 8:45 am

  • Payton Ohler, summer research intern

    Aug 14, 2024 1:30 pm

    Payton Ohler recently completed her summer internship working with Sherilyn Williams-Stroud at the Illinois State Geological Survey. As a participant in the Graduate College’s Summer Research Opportunities Program, she focused on the social and technological implications of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects.

  • Undergraduate Research Symposium

    Apr 22, 2022 11:15 am

    Congratulations to all of the undergraduate students presenting at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 28 and the PRI scientists who mentored them! 

  • Ahmani Browne sitting at a computer

    Ahmani Browne, 2022 PRI SROP intern

    Jul 26, 2022 8:00 am

    Ahmani Browne, a senior studying marine biology at Mitchell College, is working with Liang Chen, a research climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), studying the risks of winter severity in the Midwest due to climate change. Browne and Chen are using state-of-the-art climate models to quantify past and future winter storms, and investigate strong-wind and heavy snowfall events using climate simulations. Browne recently answered some questions about his internship experience.

  • scientist smiling and holding up a freshwater mussel

    Hugo Ruellan, aquatic ecologist

    Mar 14, 2023 2:00 pm
  • Natalia Maass smiling

    Natalia Maass, endangered species specialist

    Sep 1, 2021 8:00 am

    Meet Natalia Maass, an endangered species specialist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. While Maass continues to tackle challenging programming languages, she stresses that having an advanced degree isn't a qualifier for being a “real” scientist. People can do meaningful work in science as citizen scientists, too.

  • Abby Pagels in the field

    Abby Pagels, acoustic coordinator for the Illinois Bat Conservation Program

    Mar 14, 2023 2:00 pm

  • Stefan Ilic, visiting scientific specialist

    Sep 3, 2024 7:00 am

    We sat down with Stefan Ilic, a new visiting scientific specialist on the GIS team at the Illinois State Geological Survey. In this interview, Stefan shares insights into his journey to becoming a GIS specialist, his passion for geography and cartography, and the tools he relies on for his work.

     

  • Emmarie Alexander

    Emmarie Alexander, undergraduate researcher

    Apr 19, 2021 8:00 am
  • Mike DeYoung poses for a photo at the awards ceremony.

    Mike DeYoung, 2024 Outstanding New Support Staff Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 11:30 am

    Project Manager Mike DeYoung is the recipient of the Prairie Research Institute’s 2024 Outstanding New Support Staff Award, which recognizes non-scientific support staff who have shown exceptional performance and outstanding service in their work and are making an impact on PRI.

  • Sara Wilson outdoors near trees.

    Sara Wilson, INHS graduate student

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 am

  • Reilly Durham, visiting scientific specialist

    Feb 26, 2024 10:00 am

    Introducing Reilly Durham, who recently joined the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) at the Prairie Research Institute. Their role focuses on algal-bacterial bioaugmentation, aiming to revolutionize wastewater treatment and biofuel production.

  • David Zaya, plant ecologist

    Jun 11, 2020 4:30 pm
  • Allan Jones

    Allan E. Jones, hydrologist

    Apr 27, 2023 3:15 pm

    Allan E. Jones, a recently promoted assistant research scientist in hydrology, has received the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) 2023 Early Career Investigator Award for his excellence in research and leadership and his impact on the development of the groundwater flow model at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • A woman wearing a pink scarf and gloves and black winter hat is standing on top of a mountain and giving the "peace" sign". Snow-covered mountains and evergreen treen can be seeing in the distance.

    Fatima Tuz Zafrin Tuli, geoscience data R&D scientist

    Nov 7, 2024 7:30 am

    Meet Fatima Tuz Zafrin Tuli, who goes by Tuli, is a geoscience data R&D scientist with the Illinois State Geological Survey. Her work at ISGS focuses on managing and advancing the use of scientific data—particularly GIS data—in research. 

  • Kylee Noel

    Kylee Noel, INHS graduate student

    Oct 24, 2019 9:00 am
  • Shari Effert-Fanta

    Shari Effert-Fanta, assistant director for facilities and safety

    Apr 15, 2022 8:00 am

    Shari Effert-Fanta, PRI’s assistant director for facilities & safety, is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Support Staff Award! Effert-Fanta oversees PRI’s many facilities, both on campus and across the state, as well as the safety of PRI staff and students as they work in the field and in the lab; her work impacts everyone at PRI.

  • IRBS staff, alumni, and family members gathered at Riverfront Park to mark the field station's 50th year

    Illinois River Biological Station marks 50th anniversary

    Aug 12, 2022 8:30 am

    On July 23, the Illinois Natural History Survey's Illinois River Biological Station (IRBS) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a reunion at Riverfront Park in Havana, Illinois. IRBS has grown to a staff of more than 50 people, including PhD. scientists, post-doctoral research associates, large river ecologists, aquatic field technicians, and many graduate students. More than 300 scientists have been part of IRBS since its founding in 1972. 

     

     

  • Sarah Gaulke standing in front of water holding a bird.

    Sarah Gaulke, INHS graduate student

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 am
  • A man kneeling over an excavation site, removing dirt with a trowel

    Seth Allgeier, curation specialist

    Sep 10, 2024 2:15 pm

    Seth Allgeier recently joined the Illinois State Archaeological Survey as a curation specialist. At PRI, Seth is leveraging his fieldwork experience to assess, organize, and digitize Illinois Department of Transportation site documents

  • Hugo Ruellan, INHS graduate student

    Oct 22, 2019 9:00 am
  • Toby Holda

    Toby Holda, large river fisheries ecologist

    May 2, 2022 8:00 am

    Toby Holda joined INHS on April 25th as a large river fisheries ecologist. Holda worked at INHS during his undergraduate career and looks forward to sampling fish in the field, especially the long toothy fishes (gars, bowfin, etc.). He's also looking forward to continuing working with the folks at the Illinois River Biological Station and to the opportunity to continue developing his research skills.

  • drilling team on site using a drilling rig.

    Shop and drilling team

    Jun 21, 2021 8:00 am
  • A woman standing on a wilderness trails carrying a baby in a sling. Mountains and evergreen trees are in the distance.

    Gustava Curtin, graduate research assistant

    Feb 24, 2025 7:00 am

    Gustava Curtin is a graduate student in the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences. at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a research assistant at the Illinois State Water Survey.

  • A woman wearing an orange shirt and with glasses giving the "peace" sign with her fingers.

    Hannah Anderson, environmental data specialist

    Dec 19, 2024 7:00 am

    Hannah Anderson joined the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a division of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) as an environmental data specialist. In this role, she’s embedded in the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Central Office in Springfield, Illinois.

  • Megan Weeks

    Megan Weeks, human resources business analyst

    May 1, 2021 8:00 am

  • Health and Environmental Applications Laboratory

    Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm
  • Christ Miller smiling

    Chris Miller, Conservation Resource Specialist

    Apr 8, 2021 8:00 am
  • Liane Rosario

    Liane Rosario, 2022 Potter intern

    Aug 1, 2022 8:00 am

    Liane Rosario, a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago studying earth and environmental sciences is a 2022 Potter intern working on coastal research at the ISGS Lake Michigan office, gathering data using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in caves and on beaches, and measuring the depths of Lake Michigan via boat using bathymetry data.