Streams do not take up much area of the earth, but they are important for connecting people. Streams are hotspots of diversity and function.

Dr. Deb Finn knows there are more to streams than meets the eye. That’s why she and her students research streams.

The Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) held their annual meeting May 20-24 in Detroit, Michigan.

Finn, assistant professor of biology, said this meeting was special.

“I’ve been attending SFS’s annual meetings since 1998 without a single missed year, but this was the first year that I got to bring students with me,” Finn said.

About the conference

Finn took three of her graduate students, and they met up with one other at the meeting:

• Cameron Cheri
• Nathan Dorff
• Stephanie Sickler: Dr. Sean Maher is her adviser
• Jeff Williams

Everyone presented.

• Finn presented her research evaluating climate change impacts and management potential in Rocky Mountain alpine streams.
• Cheri was a part of the SFS Taxonomy Fair where he gave expert advice on odonates (dragonflies and damselflies).
• Dorff presented his research on what’s going on underneath the streambed.
• Sickler presented on land use change and stream fish assemblages in southwest Missouri.
• Williams presented his research on fish movement in the Current River in Missouri.

“They all rocked it, and I am super proud of them,” Finn said. “They represented Missouri State well.”

Finn goes on to talk about the importance of SFS.

She says that they met researchers they had read and admired. The meeting is great for networking, looking for collaborators or finding a PhD adviser.

“SFS is highly collegial and brings together people from all over the world who are studying ecology of freshwater systems,” Finn said.