usgs_staff_profile:
meta: status_code: 200 timestamp: '2023-09-30T15:18:52.475614' url: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/thea-m-edwards profile: abstracts: [] affiliations: [] education: - Ph.D. Biology, University of Florida 2005 - M.S., Botany, University of Florida, 1997 - M.S., Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, 1994 - B.S., Horticulture, Virginia Tech, 1991 email: tedwards@usgs.gov expertise_terms: - Contaminant Biology - Environmental Health - Ecotoxicology - Aquatic Toxicology - Endocrine Disruption - Fisheries Biology - Water Quality - Environmental DNA honors: [] intro_statements: - Dr. Thea Edwards is a Supervisory Research Biologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center. name: Thea M Edwards, PhD name_qualifier: null orcid: 0000-0002-6176-2872 organization_link: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/columbia-environmental-research-center organization_name: Columbia Environmental Research Center personal_statement: "Her current research investigates the effects of environmental\ \ stressors on aquatic animals. She has particular expertise in endocrine disruption\ \ and nitrate-related ecotoxicology. Before joining USGS, Dr. Edwards represented\ \ the United States as a Fulbright Scholar in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.As\ \ a group, CERC\u2019s Biochemistry and Physiology Branch conducts diverse biological\ \ studies to understand how environmental stressors and water quality affect\ \ the health of fishes, amphibians, and freshwater mussels. Current projects\ \ investigate hypoxia, contaminants, and nutrient deficiencies. The group is\ \ especially interested in how stressors change gene expression and physiology\ \ to induce disease, inflammation, infertility, or other negative health outcomes\ \ in aquatic wildlife.Additionally, Branch environmental DNA (eDNA) projects\ \ provide powerful information for resource managers as they address invasive\ \ and endangered species challenges. With eDNA technology, our scientists can\ \ detect the presence of a species by taking a water sample. This makes detection,\ \ monitoring, and management of both endangered and invasive species less expensive\ \ and more effective.To accomplish our mission, we collaborate broadly with\ \ other USGS scientists, academic partners, and private companies on mutually\ \ beneficial research and development needs. The work of our dedicated and experienced\ \ staff is supported by the world class aquaculture and laboratory facilities\ \ at CERC. We share and disseminate our findings through scientific publication\ \ and public outreach, and, working with USGS data release protocols, we are\ \ making all our data universally accessible to current and future stakeholders." professional_experience: - "2018 \u2013 present: Branch Chief, Biochemistry and Physiology, USGS Columbia\ \ Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO" - "2014 \u2013 2018: Research Assistant Professor, Biology, University of the\ \ South, Sewanee, TN" - '2016: Fulbright Scholar, U.S. Department of State and the University of Botswana Okavango Research Institute, Maun, Botswana' - "2011 \u2013 2014: Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech\ \ University, Ruston, LA" - "2009 \u2013 2011: Research Assistant Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology\ \ and Pharmacology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA" title: Supervisory Research Biologist