Richard Erickson, PhD
Folks call me Richie. My research focuses on applying quantitative ecology to invasive species. Currently, I am developing population models to inform Invasive carp management and developing methods for applying occupancy models to environmental DNA (eDNA).
Broadly, I am a research ecologist who studies the interactions between people and their environment. Specifically, I have studied:
- Terrestrial invasive plant species (undergraduate jobs and internships);
- Mosquito/dengue disease dynamics (my MS research);
- Population-level and interspecific effects of pesticides (my PhD research);
- The spatial impacts of wind energy and white-nose syndrome on bat population dynamics (my post-doc project); and
- The distribution and dynamics of aquatic invasive species and the application of this knowledge to their control (my current position).
Or, as a friend once said, "you model things dying".
Along the way, I have picked up skills in ecological, mathematical ecology, computation biology, and high-throughput computing. Although my skill set and research interests may appear to be broad, they have an underlying theme of studying population-level effects and distribution and then applying these finding to resource management.
Professional Experience
Adjunct graduate faculty at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Texas Tech, and South Dakota State
EPA Star Graduate Fellow 2010-2013
USGS contractor 2013-2014
Education and Certifications
Texas Tech University (Env. Tox., Math minor), PhD 2013
Texas Tech University (Env. Tox.), MS 2009
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Wildlife and Biology, Chem. minor), BS 2007