Corbin D Hilling, PhD
Corbin Hilling is a Fish Biologist working out of the Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Erie Biological Station in Huron, OH.
Corbin began working in fisheries science as an undergraduate student at West Virginia University. He later earned a M.S. at West Virginia University studying channel catfish population biology in a West Virginia hydropower reservoir. During his doctoral studies at Virginia Tech, Corbin studied non-native catfish populations in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. He developed a size-based stock assessment model for blue catfish, which allowed for estimation of predatory effects on native species and evaluation of potential management strategies. Corbin also co-authored a book (Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Virginia) as a doctoral student. Corbin is working to understand non-native grass carp reproduction in the Great Lakes basin, as well as processes influencing fish early life history and recruitment. Corbin is also interested in evaluating aquatic survey methods to understand and correct biases in population assessments. Generally, Corbin's research is generally focused on questions related to fisheries management, population dynamics, non-native species, and evaluation/development of fishery survey and analysis methods.
Professional Experience
Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, 2021-Present
Fish and Wildlife Biologist (Hydropower Coordinator), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Maine Field Office, 2020-2021
Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Toledo-U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, 2020
Education and Certifications
Ph.D (Fisheries and Wildlife), Virginia Tech, 2020
M.S. (Wildlife and Fisheries Resources), West Virginia University, 2015
B.S. (Biology), West Virginia University, 2013
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Fisheries Society
Honors and Awards
Burd Sheldon McGinnes Graduate Fellowship, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2017
Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2017
Robert D. Ross Scholarship. Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 2017
Catfish Management Scholarship Award, Catfish Management Technical Committee of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, 2018
Best Student Poster, Annual Meeting of the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, 2018
Best Student Poster, Annual Meeting of the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, 2018
Dwight Chamberlain Graduate Fellowship Award, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2018
Graduate Research Fellowship, Virginia Sea Grant, 2018-2020
A.B. Massey Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2020
Distinguished Service Award, Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 2020
Service Appreciation Award, Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, 2020
Emerging Leaders Mentorship Award, American Fisheries Society, 2020
Jack Dequine Award Runner-Up, Journal of Southeastern Association of Fisheries and Wildlife Agencies, 2022
Science and Products
Multimedia of or by this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2022 Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2022
Nearshore fish species richness and species–habitat associations in the St. Clair–Detroit River System Nearshore fish species richness and species–habitat associations in the St. Clair–Detroit River System
Harvest as a tool to manage populations of undesirable or overabundant fish and wildlife Harvest as a tool to manage populations of undesirable or overabundant fish and wildlife
Estimates of food consumption rates for invasive Blue Catfish Estimates of food consumption rates for invasive Blue Catfish
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021 Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021
Growth and mortality of invasive Flathead Catfish in the tidal James River, Virginia Growth and mortality of invasive Flathead Catfish in the tidal James River, Virginia
Population characteristics of Yellow Perch in a central Appalachia hydropower reservoir Population characteristics of Yellow Perch in a central Appalachia hydropower reservoir
Age, growth and fall diet of channel catfish in Cheat Lake, West Virginia Age, growth and fall diet of channel catfish in Cheat Lake, West Virginia
Science and Products
Multimedia of or by this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2022 Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2022
Nearshore fish species richness and species–habitat associations in the St. Clair–Detroit River System Nearshore fish species richness and species–habitat associations in the St. Clair–Detroit River System
Harvest as a tool to manage populations of undesirable or overabundant fish and wildlife Harvest as a tool to manage populations of undesirable or overabundant fish and wildlife
Estimates of food consumption rates for invasive Blue Catfish Estimates of food consumption rates for invasive Blue Catfish
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021 Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021
Growth and mortality of invasive Flathead Catfish in the tidal James River, Virginia Growth and mortality of invasive Flathead Catfish in the tidal James River, Virginia
Population characteristics of Yellow Perch in a central Appalachia hydropower reservoir Population characteristics of Yellow Perch in a central Appalachia hydropower reservoir
Age, growth and fall diet of channel catfish in Cheat Lake, West Virginia Age, growth and fall diet of channel catfish in Cheat Lake, West Virginia
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government