Katrina Mueller

As a Virginia native, the majority of my recreational background and work experience occurred in the Chesapeake Bay region and Blue Ridge Mountains. After graduating from Annandale High School in northern Virginia, I attended Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech) and spent the summer semesters exploring interesting job opportunities. These included a cross-country jaunt to the Pacific Northwest to examine the effects of boat traffic on the foraging behavior of killer whales and various internships at aquariums (Virginia Marine Science Museum and National Aquarium in Baltimore). Completing my stay in Blacksburg as a technician in the stream ecology lab, I received a Bachelor of Science in biology and a psychology minor from Virginia Tech in the spring of 2002. Making my way west, or midwest, I spent that summer at the University of Notre Dame working as a field assistant for Dr. Ashley Moerke. I jumped up to Michigan in the fall of 2002 as a Masters student and Great Lakes Fishery Trust fellow under the direction of Dr. Taylor in the MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. During this experience, I was able to work directly with many interesting people and hone my fly- and charter fishing skills. My Masters thesis identified the relationship between communication, social capital and fish-catching success of charter fishing captains, and I presented my finding at the 134th Annual American Fisheries Society Meeting in Madison, WI. Since defending my thesis, I have begun a PhD and aspire to become an ambassador for natural resources by promoting awareness, facilitating learning and generating appreciation for the vital relationships between people, the environment and aquatic organisms.