The CCTU Steve Bailey Memorial Scholarship anually awards a research fellowship to a CSU graduate student studying in a field related to freshwater fisheries. Our hope is that student will use the scholarship to advance their studies and enter a field that promotes our mission to conserve, protect, and restore Colorado's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. The 2019 scholarship recipient was Chris Kotalik, who was working on Clear Creek at that time. We are proud to note that Chris did indeed go on to earn his PhD, and he continues to receive high honors for his groundbreaking work.
Chris’s research is focused on the evaluation of stream community responses to mining remediation and habitat restoration, with particular emphasis on streams in Colorado. For his dissertation, he used a combination of stream biomonitoring, field experiments, and mesocosm exposures to better understand the sensitivity of algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, and trout to acid mine drainage cleanup. More recently, Chris’ postdoctoral research is focused on evaluating brown trout responses to habitat restoration in the Upper Arkansas River of Colorado. This research will inform managers of the effectiveness of stream remediation and habitat restoration on stream invertebrate communities and trout populations. His published research on mining pollution has contributed to improved understanding of the sensitivity of different aquatic insect life stages (e.g., larvae vs emerging adults) to trace metals.
We are proud to learn Chris has recently won an award for his dissertation research. The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry/International Copper Association Chris Lee Award for Metals Research recognizes excellence in Chris's research related to the fate and effects of metals in the environment. To learn more about Chris's award please check out this link:
https://globe.setac.org/congratulations-to-christopher-kotalik-winner-of-the-ica-chris-lee-award/