Lucas Ellingson-Cosenza

Lucas is a new masters student advised by Dr. Baxter in the Stream Ecology Center, joining in the summer of 2024. He graduated from Oregon State University in 2023, majoring in Biology with an Ecology focus, and also earned minors in Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences and Chemistry. During his undergraduate years, Lucas interned for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as accumulating many volunteer experiences with them. His research centers around Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in the Teton and Salt River drainages and how they're impacted by invasive species. He also is conducting social research, working with water rights stakeholders to produce mental models that will help inform future fisheries management decisions. Originally from Newport on the central Oregon coast, he spent much of his childhood exploring rivers and lakes across the state, and quickly fell in love with freshwater ecosystems and the fish within them.  He is eager to explore new watersheds here in SE Idaho. In his pastime, he is an avid fly-fisher, enjoys camping trips, playing soccer, and snorkeling in rivers with his GoPro to take underwater footage.