JESSE LEPAK, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow Colorado Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit Colorado State University Working under Dr. Brett M. Johnson 208 Wagar Hall Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (970) 491-2749 email: jmlepak@lamar.colostate.edu

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Natural Resources, Cornell University, 2008

M.S.   Natural Resources, Cornell University, 2004

B.S.   Zoology, Biology, and Biological Aspects of Conservation, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2001

EXPERIENCE

Teaching

· Spring 2007 - Teaching Assistant for Natural Resources 311 (Fish Ecology) at Cornell University

· Fall 2006 - Teaching Assistant for Natural Resources 210 (Field Biology) at Cornell University

· Spring 2006 - Teaching Assistant for Natural Resources 201 (Environmental Conservation) at Cornell University

· 2004 - Laboratory Instructor; Biology and Evolutionary Ecology 456 (Stream Ecology) at Cornell University

· Laboratory instruction for Natural Resources 210 (Field Biology) at Cornell University, September 2005

· Guest lecturer in Natural Resources 210 (Field Biology) at Cornell University, October 2002 and 2003

· Guest lecturer in Natural Resources 311 (Fish Ecology) at Cornell University, March 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006

Skills

· Experienced with Wisconsin Bioenergetics Model

· Experienced with population growth models and programs such as MARK, SPlus, Matlab, and Populus

· Identifying fish stomach contents

· Fish age assessments using otoliths and scales

· Aspects of fish capture (beach and purse seines, gillnets, various fish traps, boat and stream electrofishing, etc.)

· Stable isotope analyses (13C and 15N) to evaluate food web interactions

Research Experience

· 2001-2008 - Worked under the direction of Dr. Cliff Kraft with the Adirondack Fisheries Research Program in the Adirondack park, New York

· 2000 to 2001 - Employed at the Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison identifying benthic invertebrates

· 2000 - Research Experience for Undergraduates under direction of Dr. James F. Kitchell at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center (UNDERC)

· 1999 - Directed study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison: Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) growth rates and refuge sites within two contrasting ponds

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Member; National American Fisheries Society

PRESENTATIONS

· Lepak, J.M., Robinson J.R., Warren, D.W., Josephson, D.C. and Kraft, C.E. Changes in mercury bioaccumulation in apex predators in response to removal of an introduced piscivore. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Lake Placid, NY. September 2006.

· Lepak, J. M., and Kraft, C. E. Evaluating the effects of environment and stressors on thiaminase expression in alewife. Great Lakes Fishery Commission Workshop on Early Mortality Syndrome, Ann Arbor, MI. September 2005.

· Lepak, J. M. Introduced species: Possibility of native recovery. University of Wisconsin-Madison Trout Lake Field Station Seminar Series, Trout Lake, WI. July 2005.

· Lepak, J. M., and C. E. Kraft. Stable isotope measurements as indicators of diet shifts in a lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population in an oligotrophic Adirondack lake. Department of Natural Resources Graduate Student Symposium, Cornell University. January 2003 (honorable mention for results presentation)

· Lepak, J. M., and C. E. Kraft. Stable isotope measurements as indicators of diet shifts in a lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population in an oligotrophic Adirondack lake. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research, Ottawa, Ontario. 4 January 2003 (contributed paper)

· Lepak, J. M., and C. E. Kraft. Stable isotope measurements as indicators of diet shifts in a lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population in an oligotrophic Adirondack lake. Annual Meeting of the New York Chapter American Fisheries Society, Canandaigua, NY. 10 January 2003 (best student contributed paper)

· Lepak, J. M., and C. E. Kraft. Stable isotope measurements as indicators of diet shifts in a lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population in an oligotrophic Adirondack lake. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Quebec City, Quebec 14 August 2003.

FUNDING OBTAINED

· NSF-Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant - 2007: $11,085

· Provost's Diversity Fellowship - 2007: $10,000

· Kieckhefer Adirondack Fellowship - 2006: $5,000

· Biogeochemistry and Environmental Biocomplexity IGERT Program - 2006: $3,984

· Biogeochemistry and Environmental Biocomplexity IGERT Program - 2005: $3,720

· Cornell Center for the Environment Student Environmental Research Grant - 2004: $3,880

· Kieckhefer Adirondack Fellowship - 2003: $2,500

· Kieckhefer Adirondack Fellowship - 2002: $5,000

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

· Lepak, J.M., Shayler, H.A., Kraft, C.E., and Knuth, B.A. Mercury contamination in sport fish in the Northeastern United States: Considerations for future data collection. In Press; BioScience.

· Lepak, J.M. and Kraft, C.E. 2008. Alewife mortality, condition, and immune response to prolonged cold temperatures. Journal of Great Lakes Research. 34:134-142.

· Lepak, J.M., Kraft, C.E., Honeyfield, D.C., and Brown, S.B. 2008. Evaluating the effect of stressors on thiaminase activity in alewife. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health. 20:63-71.

· Lepak, J.M., C.E. Kraft and B.C. Weidel. 2006. Rapid food web recovery in response to removal of an introduced apex predator. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63:569-575.

· Warren, D.R., S.D. Sebestyen, D.C. Josephson, J.M. Lepak, C.E. Kraft. 2005. Acidic groundwater discharge and in situ egg survival in lake spawning brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) redds. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 134:1193–1201.

· Lepak, J.M, Robinson, J.R., Warren, D.R., Josephson, D.C., and Kraft, C.E. Changes in mercury bioaccumulation in apex predators in response to removal of an introduced piscivore. In preparation.

· Lepak, J.M., Kraft, C.E., Honeyfield, D.C., and Vanni, M.J. Alewife and gizzard shad response to stressors. In preparation.

NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

· Lepak, J.M. 2005. Intruders in Cayuga Lake: The hidden dangers of introduced fish. Cayuga Lake Watershed Network News. Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. Interlaken, NY.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My main research interests focus on addressing anthropogenic and environmental perturbations in aquatic systems. I have investigated such perturbations as non-native species introductions and removals, thiaminase in clupeids resulting in Early Mortality Syndrome in valuable Great Lakes salmonines and mercury bioaccumulation in sport fish. My overall goal while studying these topics was to develop a better understanding and in some cases explore potential means to remediate negative impacts associated with these issues by using a variety of metrics as indicators of anthropogenic and environmental perturbation. My current research deals with gaining a better understanding of mercury bioaccumulation in aquatic systems. Mercury contamination in fish is a serious human health issue in the United States and throughout the world. My interests focus on food web dynamics and how alterations in food webs can result in differential bioaccumulation in sport fish, specifically those consumed by anglers and their families. In recent years, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued several consumption advisories on a variety of freshwater systems throughout Colorado. This was a source of concern for fish consumers in the state and as such, the Colorado Division of Wildlife has taken action. The goal of the current project (funded by the Colorado Division of Wildlife) is to identify factors that influence mercury bioaccumulation in sport fish in an effort to help protect Colorado fisheries and the anglers that utilize this resource.