Martha Mather, PhD

Research Interests

Martha's research interests are in using fish ecology to address applied conservation problems, especially patterns and consequences of movement. Specifically, she is interested in problems related to

1. the ecology of freshwater and anadromous fishes;
2. processes that structure freshwater and estuarine fish communities;
3. patterns, mechanisms, consequences of fish movements;
4. how to use community ecology to devise fish sampling regimes that aid conservation, management, and restoration;
5. spatial patterns and processes;
6. quantitative tools; and 
7. integrated bio-social approaches to natural resource conflicts.

Teaching Interests

As a Ph.D student, Martha taught lab sections in zoology, ecology, and behavior. As a new Ph.D, Martha was completely responsible for two field ecology classes at Ohio State University’s Stone Lab on Lake Erie and at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station. At University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she was solely responsible for one graduate course in fish ecology and one graduate course in experimental design using examples from the literature. At UMASS, she also cotaught two other graduate seminars, one on natural resource conflicts and one on anadromous fish. Martha has guest lectured at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, and other universities on philosophy of science, aquatic community structure, invaders in freshwater systems, restoration of the Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River, natural resource conflicts, the role of biophysical science in natural resource conflicts, dam removal, ecological restoration in coastal systems, and relationships between the built and natural environment. At Kansas State University, she team-teaches a course called "Professional Skills" required of all incoming graduate students. She also team-teaches a graduate seminar entitled "River Regimes."