Elizabeth Renner Email & Phone Number

Lincoln, Ne, Us

Yankton, South Dakota, United States

On May 6th I officially joined the US Fish and Wildlife Service as the newest member of the Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Team based out of Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery as a GS-9 Fish Biologist. In my new role, I collaborate with biologists and stakeholders from USGS and the US Army Corps of Engineers in addition to partners from state agencies in Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri to help with population assessment monitoring, mark-recapture and reproductive assessments, and spawning operations as part of the Recovery Plan for the federally endangered Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus). I first came to Gavins Point NFH to tour the aquarium as a 10-year-old with my maternal grandfather, and that first experience with sturgeon and paddlefish left such a strong impression on me that I ended up pursuing my passion for fisheries biology and sturgeon conservation and have finally worked my way back here to my dream job two decades later. I'm excited for the opportunities to learn and grow as a federal fish biologist working on Missouri River native fish conservation in the Middle Basin. My new role has me doing acoustic telemetry to locate tagged sturgeon, ultrasounds and collecting egg samples to evaluate the reproductive condition of female pallids during and after spawning season, surgically implanting new transmitters in fish or replacing old transmitters in previously tagged ones, and assisting with genetic assessments, surgeries, and captive spawning of broodstock held at Gavins Point. I am also a member of the Great Plains Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office and assist with eDNA surveys, fieldwork to assess fish passage projects, and electrofishing with an electrified dozer trawl for sampling invasive silver and bighead carp.

Fort Pierre, South Dakota, United States

Pierre, South Dakota, United States

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Over the course of 11 weeks, I completed a paid research fellowship with the US Fish & Wildlife Service remotely while working on my dissertation. I worked alongside fish ecologists at the USFWS and aquatic ecologists at the Bureau of Reclamation to use 15 years of long-term water quality monitoring data to analyze the impact of invasive quagga mussels on endangered native fishes in Lake Mead. This is a Direct Hire Authority program, meaning upon completion I now have preferential hiring status to get my foot in the door at the agency. I enjoyed applying the knowledge I've gained from studying small impoundments to the largest reservoir in the United States.

Manhattan, Kansas

I helped students craft better papers through one-on-one in-person and virtual grammar and mechanics lessons. I assisted students by proofreading and editing lab reports, resumes and CVs, personal statements for grad school applications, and senior theses.

Manhattan, Kansas

I worked in Dr. Keith Gido's fish ecology laboratory and conducted my own NSF-funded independent research on how small impoundments influence stream macroinvertebrate and fish community structure.

Homer, Alaska

I worked in Cook Inletkeeper's Water Quality Laboratory, sorting and identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates and analyzing temperature data from a long-term ecological monitoring project studying the impact of climate change and coal development on salmon in the Cook Inlet watershed. Additionally, I assisted the science director and stream ecologist with fieldwork and stream surveys.

Pierre, Sd

As an intern with the DOT's state environmental office, I would conduct habitat surveys for the endangered northern long-eared bat underneath condemned bridges, seine streams and inspect box culverts in search of the endangered Topeka shiner, assist with roadside wetland delineations, and inspect wetland mitigation sites. I created and maintained a statewide geodatabase using ArcMap to keep track of survey sites and manage data collection for projects that had the potential to impact bats. I gained a great deal of skill in ArcGIS and using TRIMBLE handheld GIS software as well as wetland plant identification and soil hydrology basics.

Canton, South Dakota

I worked as a research assistant on a team studying the history of landscape succession and forest encroachment on native prairie using stable isotope analysis on soil core samples taken from Newton Hills State Park. I performed the statistical analysis for the project using JMP. In addition, I led nature programs as a naturalist, sold entrance passes in the park office, and performed trail and campground maintenance duties.

Washington, Dc

It was an honor to serve as a summer intern in Senator Johnson's DC office. Over the course of my internship, I gained a better understanding of environmental policy and the legislative process, and I honed my writing ability. As a Senator's intern, I wore many hats. I processed constituent mail and drafted response letters pertaining to South Dakota natural resource and environmental issues. I was responsible for tracking current legislation, attending Senate Energy & Natural Resources and Environment & Public Works Committee hearings, and then writing memos for legislative assistants. In addition, I worked on an archiving project to process the Senator's legislative records so that they could be added to a database.I answered the phone, led South Dakotans on constituent tours through the US Capitol and Senate buildings, ran errands for the Senator and his staff, and collected news stories from all major South Dakota news outlets on a daily basis and then compiled them for the staff to access.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

I served as an intern for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and also volunteer my time through the Earth Team program. My duties include assisting conservationists with field work and Conservation Reserve Program inspections, filing wetlands maps, sorting and stocking NRCS equipment, and answering the phone.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Area

I worked as a seasonal employee and assist in windbreak and shelter belt tree plantings for the Minnehaha Conservation District. In addition, I worked on the fabric-laying crew and assisted with office work and the development of tree plans.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Aquatic Biology/Limnology

Activities and Societies: American Fisheries Society, Society for Freshwater Science

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Biology (Ecology & Environmental Science Emphasis) And Spanish Double Major

Activities and Societies: Ecology Club, Conservation Biology Lab Research Assistant, Augie Green (Campus Environmental Organization).

Education record

Activities and Societies: National Honor Society, Student Council, Quiz Bowl, Marching Band, Chorus, Varsity Soccer, Musical Theatre.