Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Featured Professional: Ashley Moerke

Ashley Moerke is Associate Professor of Biology and Co-Director of the Aquatic Research Laboratory at Lake Superior State University, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Her career path began as an undergrad, when she spent two summers doing research at Toolik Lake LTER Field Station in northern Alaska. After receiving her B.S. from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, she focused on aspects of aquatic ecology for her M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame.

At LSSU, Ashley strives to share her passion for aquatic ecology in and out of the classroom. Through extensive collaboration, she introduces her students to stimulating research experiences and helps them build their professional networks. Ashley’s greatest thrill is to hear from former students about their personal and professional accomplishments.

One of Ashley’s goals is to create a center of freshwater sciences in the Upper Great Lakes region, located in Sault Sainte Marie, that will advance scientific understanding of freshwater issues in the Great Lakes basin and provide hands-on training opportunities for students.

Outside of the classroom and field, Ashley takes advantage of living in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She spends her winters snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, her summers fishing, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and camping, and her autumns bird hunting with her husband and two dogs.