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People of PRI
Prairie Research Institute

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  • Alexa Ashbrook

    Alexa Ashbrook, INHS graduate student

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 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.

  • 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. 

  • Christine Atkinson

    Christine Atkinson, Bondville site researcher

    Feb 8, 2021 1:15 pm
  • 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.

  • 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. 

  • Sohan Singh

    Sohan Singh, postdoctoral researcher

    Jul 26, 2021 12:00 pm
  • 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.

  • 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. 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Shah Bilawal Ali, research assistant

    Sep 17, 2024 8:30 am

    Shah Bilawal Ali is an MS student in the Department of Earth Science & Environmental Change at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a Research Assistant at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS). He is now working on the Mitchell CarbonSAFE project, developing geologic models that could contribute to energy sustainability. Explore Ali’s story below to learn about his passion for sedimentology, his tools of the trade, and his ambitions for the future.

  • Mera Hertel, 2024 Distinguished Support Staff Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 8:45 am

    Recognized for her exceptional contributions, Mera Hertel, a cornerstone of the Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS), has been honored with the 2024 Distinguished Support Staff Award by the Prairie Research Institute.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Courtney Weldon

    Courtney Weldon, INHS graduate student

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 am

  • Kurt Sexton, account technician

    Nov 12, 2019 6:00 am
  • Wei Dang

    Wei Dang, water resource engineer

    Nov 22, 2023 10:30 am

    Wei Dang earned her Master of Geographic Information Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2022. Following graduation, she joined PRI as a Water Resource Engineer. Her primary responsibilities revolve around using GIS methodologies to present water resource data and information on surface water in a visually intuitive and accessible manner. She also works on the geospatial analyses of water resources systems, aiming to streamline water resources planning and management.  

  • Miriam holding a PCR tray

    Miriam Schlessinger, 2022 PRI SROP intern

    Aug 1, 2022 1:00 pm

    Miriam Schlessinger, an undergraduate at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville recently participated in the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), a 10-week hands-on summer internship at PRI that aims to enable undergraduate students from underrepresented populations to explore careers in applied science.

  • A woman in sunglasses stands in front of a pool of water.

    Sunita Mahat, visiting scientific specialist

    Aug 16, 2024 11:30 am

    Introducing Sunita Mahat, a visiting scientific specialist in GIS at the Illinois State Geological Survey. Sunita shares insights into her role in the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Inventory and Characterization Project, her passion for using technology to address environmental challenges, and her advice for aspiring GIS analysts.

  • A woman in a coat enthusiastically holding a bag of water.

    Ellie Snyder, postdoctoral researcher

    Oct 10, 2024 7:00 am

    Ellie Snyder recently joined the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) as a postdoctoral researcher. At INHS, Ellie is exploring the potential of eRNA in fish monitoring, collaborating with Mark Davis and Sarah Molinaro.

  • A woman with waders sitting in a stream holding a plastic bottle.

    Savanna Palmer, summer research intern

    Jul 31, 2024 9:30 am

    Savanna Palmer, a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign majoring in Integrative Biology Honors, recently completed an internship under Mark Davis in the Collaborative Conservation Genetic Lab (CCGL) at the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS).

  • Jessica Homan

    Jessica Homan, social media intern

    Sep 8, 2021 8:00 am

    Social media intern Jessica Homan’s passion for her work revolves around communications. She was drawn to intern at the Prairie Research Institute after learning about the impact its services and research has on citizens and scientists in Illinois and beyond—plenty of good stories to tell!

  • 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.

  • A woman standing in front of a mounted Triceratops skeleton.

    Amanda Quealy, undergraduate researcher

    Nov 5, 2024 11:00 am

    Amanda Quealy is a sophomore majoring in history and anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As an undergraduate researcher at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Amanda plays an essential role in organizing and cataloging artifacts, ranging from bones to botanical materials and lithics.

  • Lori Walston-Vonderharr, 2024 Distinguished Support Staff Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 11:15 am

    Human Resources Business Partner Lori Walston-Vonderharr is the recipient of the Prairie Research Institute’s 2024 Distinguished 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.

  • Afeefa Rahman, research assistant

    Oct 15, 2024 7:00 am

    Afeefa Rahman is a research assistant and a PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • A woman kneeling with a dog.

    Lauren Dean, assistant research scientist

    Jul 12, 2024 10:30 am

    Lauren Dean joined the INHS as an assistant research scientist focused on Hunter Research for the Learn to Hunt program. She previously conducted research focused on exploring waterfowl hunting regulation complexity as a constraint to adult novice waterfowl hunter recruitment and retention in Illinois in conjunction with the Illinois Learn to Hunt program. We sat down with Lauren to learn a bit more about her.

  • 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.

  • Atticus Zavelle, 2024 Distinguished Research Specialist/Technician Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 1:30 pm

    Atticus Zavelle, senior scientific specialist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) has been selected as the recipient of PRI’s 2024 Distinguished Research Specialist/Technician Award.

  • Christine Parker outdoors holding a turkey.

    Christine Parker, INHS graduate student

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 am
  • Josh Nickelson smiling

    Josh Nickelson, field scientist

    Jul 12, 2022 8:00 am

    Since second grade Josh Nickelson knew he wanted to work in a park or a forest setting when he grew up. Last month, he joined the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) as a field scientist and is looking forward to assisting land owners and organizations with various forest management projects. 

  • Stephany Virrueta Herrera

    Stephany Virrueta Herrara, INHS graduate student

    Oct 21, 2019 9:00 am
  • Erin Benson

    Erin Benson, ISAS graduate student

    Oct 21, 2019 9:00 am

  • 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.

  • Cody Eskew

    Cody Eskew, Coastal Studies Specialist

    May 13, 2021 12:15 pm
  • Christine Atkinson

    Christine Atkinson, ISWS graduate student

    Oct 24, 2019 9:00 am
  • Tony Schutz

    Tony Schutz, primary desktop support

    Feb 16, 2023 8:00 am

    The Computing and Data Services (CDS) team welcomes new staff member, Tony Schutz, as the primary desktop support. Tony has been working with PRI part-time for the past eight years and has now joined us as a full-time employee. He will be the primary desktop support person for staff at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), but will be pitching in on desktop support across PRI and helping the CDS server team as well. Tony is a familiar face for sure, and we’re very glad to have him as a full-time member of the team.

  • A woman standing near a river holding a crayfish.

    Ellen Schonken, lab technician

    Sep 24, 2024 8:00 am

    Ellen Schonken is a lab technician with the Population and Community Ecology Lab at the Illinois Natural History Survey and a junior majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Molly Carlson, wetlands scientist

    Oct 24, 2024 11:00 am

    Molly Carlson is a visiting scientific specialist in the wetlands geology section at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS). With a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from Ohio University and an M.S. in Freshwater Conservation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Molly brings expertise in wetland ecosystems.

  • Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, 2024 Distinguished Research Scientist Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 1:15 pm

    Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Research Scientist Award by the Prairie Research Institute. This prestigious recognition is bestowed upon individuals whose exceptional contributions to their field of research, environment, and society stand out as exemplary. Dr. Mateus-Pinilla, the director of the Wildlife Veterinary Epidemiology Laboratory at the Illinois Natural History Survey.

  • A woman wearing sunglasses and face mask standing in front of a volcano.

    Bridget Dale, GIS specialist

    Sep 19, 2024 9:00 am

    Bridget Dale recently joined the Illinois State Geological Survey as a GIS specialist working alongside Dave Grimley. A graduate of NC State University with a degree in Geology and Paleontology, Bridget’s academic background includes research in planetary science and remote sensing

  • A woman holding a box turtle

    Kaitlin Karl, PhD student

    Sep 24, 2024 3:00 pm

    Kaitlin Karl, a new PhD student at the Cooperative Conservation Genetics Lab at the Illinois Natural History Survey, brings a deep-rooted passion for preserving biodiversity. We sat down with Kaitlin for this edition of “People of PRI” to learn more about her journey, her favorite tools, and advice for aspiring conservationists.

  • Sophia Sagrestano

    Sophia Sagrestano, ISWS graduate student researcher

    Oct 25, 2022 2:00 pm

    Sophia Sagrestano's path toward a master's degree in atmospheric science started with watching the local meteorologist each morning before school in her childhood home. Now she's working with Water Survey researchers to better understand the planetary boundary layer and how it impacts lake effect snow formation over Lake Ontario!

  • A woman with her arms outstretched in front of a mountain.

    Nina Athanasopoulos, undergraduate researcher

    Oct 2, 2024 8:00 am

    Nina Athanasopoulos is an undergraduate researcher at the Illinois State Geological Survey and a junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she’s pursuing a degree in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability. Starting with ISGS in January 2024, Nina spent the summer as a Potter Intern, exploring critical minerals research and geochemical analysis.

  • Lee Solter

    Lee Solter, insect pathologist

    Dec 8, 2017 9:00 am

    December 31 marks the end of an era for insect pathologist Lee Solter.  She will be retiring from the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), an organization she has dedicated more than 30 years of service to as a research scientist. Lee has also ably served as interim director of the INHS for the past two years. In this interview, Lee recounts her early beginnings in science, highlights of her career at INHS, her reflections on the field of science, and her plans for retirement. 

  • Scott Elrick accepting the Friend of PRI Award from Executive Director Praveen Kumar on behalf of Laurence Nuelle.

    Laurence Nuelle, 2024 Friend of PRI Award recipient

    Jun 5, 2024 1:00 pm

    Laurence Nuelle is the recipient of the Prairie Research Institute’s 2024 Friend of PRI Award, which recognizes service and commitment in helping PRI meet its mission of being the trusted science authority to the state of Illinois.

  • Ron Sjoken in a lab

    Ron Sjoken, environmental monitoring specialist

    Aug 11, 2021 8:00 am
  • A man stands on a ship on open water with a naval vessel in the distance.

    Aidan Neill, undergraduate researcher

    Oct 8, 2024 7:00 am

    Aidan Neill, a Midshipman second class in the United States Naval Reserve and an undergraduate geology student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, combines a passion for the outdoors with a drive to explore rare earth elements.

  • Laura De La Guardia, ISWS graduate student

    Oct 23, 2019 9:00 am