Hailing from the Midwest, more specifically Indiana, fish have always been a focal point in Sam’s life. She graduated in 2014 from Purdue University with a B.S. in Fisheries and Aquatic Science and a minor in Wildlife Science. After her undergraduate studies, she worked for two and half years as a National Marine Fisheries Service Groundfish Observer in the Bering Sea of Alaska monitoring commercial fisheries catch.

Sam is currently a master’s student in the Fisheries and Wildlife Department at Michigan State University working with Dr. Dana M. Infante in the Aquatic Landscape Ecology Lab. Her thesis focuses on how stream habitat features might change with changing climate.

 In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, hiking, and fishing.