Grace Wilkinson
Grace is a limnologist and ecosystem ecologist with a research focus on aquatic-terrestrial linkages. Her research interests are at the intersection of biogeochemistry, water quality, and ecosystem resilience.
Grace received her PhD from the University of Virginia Department of Environmental Sciences. She was an Assistant Professor at Iowa State University from 2017-2020. In January 2021 she moved to the Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
- Curriculum Vitae [updated August 2024]
- Google Scholar profile
Jess Briggs, PhD Candidate
Jess’s research interests focus on the nexus between biological, chemical, and physical processes in urban aquatic systems. She is particularly interested in exploring anthropogenic effects on ecosystem function. Learn more about her research on Jess’s website!
Jess received a BS in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State University in 2021. As an undergraduate, she worked in Jon Duncan’s Watershed Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry lab investigating stream metabolism.
Moira McCarthy, PhD Student
Moira is interested in nutrient cycling in lakes and feedbacks to the atmosphere. She is especially interested in studying the interaction of eutrophication and methane production in lakes.
Moira received a BS from the University of Minnesota in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior in 2023, with a minor in Leadership. During her time there, she worked with Dr. Sarah Hobbie and Dr. Peter Kennedy studying soil ecology and mycology.
Danny Szydlowski, PhD Candidate
Danny is interested in the drivers of environmental change in lakes, from invasive species to climate change. He is especially excited when he gets to work with long-term datasets. Learn more about his research on Danny’s website!
Danny received a BS in Environmental Engineering at the University of Notre Dame in 2019, where he also worked with Dr. Stuart Jones. He completed a MS in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with Dr. Eric Larson at the University of Illinois in 2021, where he investigated the long-term effects of invasive rusty crayfish.
Helen Schlimm, Research Specialist
Helen assists in the regular operations and research endeavors of the Wilkinson Lab. Her work combines her interests in limnological study and inclusive community science. She received a BS in Environmental Science from Dickinson College in 2017.
Check out the CFL Community Water Monitoring Network, which Helen leads here!
Jimmy Sustachek, Research Specialist
With over a decade of experience in environmental chemistry, Jimmy leads the NTL LTER chemistry lab and assists the entire CFL community with lab-oriented research. Jimmy received a BS in Zoology in 2011 from UW-Madison.
Former Lab Members
Ellen Albright, PhD
Ellen was a PhD student in the lab from 2017-2022 and a postdoc from 2022-2023. Her research focused on spatiotemporal variation phosphorus cycling in shallow lakes and reservoirs and how this heterogeneity impacts ecosystem function. She is now a researcher with the Discovery Farms program.
Tyler Butts, PhD
Tyler was a PhD student in the lab from 2018-2023. His research used food webs to better understand how disturbance and lake management drive aquatic ecosystem function. Tyler is now a postdoc at the Center for Limnology.
David Ortiz, MS
David was an MS student with the lab at Iowa State University from 2017-2019. His research focused on the spatial and temporal patterns of algal blooms and how this information could be used as early warning of their onset. David is now a PhD student at the Center for Limnology.
Quin Shingai, MS
Quin was an MS student in the lab from 2019-2021. Her research focused on cyanotoxin cycling in lakes and phytoplankton nutrient limitation in shallow waters with eutrophication. She is now a PhD student at Dartmouth.
Eric Moody, Postdoc
Eric was a postdoc in the lab from 2017-2019. His research examined interactions between grazers and algal blooms and worked to understand how the evolution of consumers can alter nutrient fluxes. He is now a professor at Middlebury College.
Cale Gushulak, Postdoc
Cale was a postdoctoral researcher in the lab from 2023-2024. During his time in the lab, Cale examined the interaction of water waves and biogeochemical processes in the life cycle of harmful algal blooms. He is now a professor at University of Manitoba.