March marks Women's History Month, and California Trout is proud to honor this important occasion by celebrating the vital role that women play in our world and the significant advances they've made in society. Women’s History Month was declared as such by Congress in 1987. The event was a result from the lack of public and curricular information and education on the topic of women’s history in the United States.
The contributions of women are far reaching- more than we can fit on this page. From voting rights to land stewarding to climate justice, women have fought for the equality and betterment of our communities for centuries. However, while women have always been involved in realizing major change in our country, their contributions are often overlooked.
In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields specifically, women face many barriers. Women make up nearly half of the workforce, and yet as of the 2021 Census data, they accounted for a mere 27% of STEM occupations– a woeful underrepresentation.
Within our own organization, we are continually encouraged by the women and nonbinary folks of CalTrout who are creating real, lasting change. They are leading, discovering, exploring, lobbying, advocating, healing, nurturing, building relationships, and making their own mark on history each day they step into the office or the field.
With Women’s History Month coming to an end, we are going to keep the focus on women by sharing with you the stories of the amazing women that work at CalTrout. We often highlight the projects and work going on within our organization, and we would like to introduce you to the many remarkable women, working behind the scenes, to accomplish this work on behalf of California Trout.
We are excited to unveil our new series to share with you stories from the Women of CalTrout. This series was created by our own Kara Glenwright, Communications Associate. Join her as she dives deep into conversations with women on both our Conservation staff and Policy/Legal team.
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.