Timothy Caldwell received a WALPA student scholarship in 2009 to help fund his Master’s research at the University of Idaho. He worked with Mysis diluviana in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, where he used nutrient excretion experiments and diet analysis to examine the role of M. diluviana in the nutrient budget and food web dynamics of the lake, and related his findings to kokanee salmon populations. His work has been useful to management decisions and as a baseline study to drive future research on the lake. In addition to enjoying WALPA’s support, Tim received generous scholarships and grants from IAGLR, ASLO, AFS, and the University of Idaho. Additionally, he was active in the local AFS unit, volunteering for various community activities like kids’ fishing days, and participated each year in a Relay for Life team.
WALPA scholarship winner Tim Caldwell
Upon graduation from the University of Idaho, Tim worked as a fisheries technician with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, examining steelhead populations in the Potlatch River. Soon after, he returned to academia and is currently a research faculty member at the University of Nevada – Reno, in the Aquatic Ecosystems Analysis Laboratory, with Dr. Sudeep Chandra. He currently works on invasive species issues in Lake Tahoe and other lakes in the Tahoe Basin, mysid diets in lakes throughout the West, winter limnology at Castle Lake long term research station, and the effects of ocean conditions on the productivity of alpine and mountain lakes. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in aquatic ecology in the near future.
When he’s not in the lab, field or office, you can generally find Tim pursuing steep and deep powder lines in the Sierra Nevada backcountry, fly fishing from his raft, scaling rock walls, or enjoying any activity outside. He also enjoys quality time with his two dogs Connor and Dylan, and of course with his better half Michelle, who is graduating from the Washington State School of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2012 and will be practicing at Baring Blvd Veterinary hospital in Reno.
