I received my bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in Zoology and Biological Aspects of Conservation in 2005.  Thereafter, I worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources examining the impact of development and agricultural lands on aquatic macrophytes within the watershed.  I also took part in a Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) project identifying distribution of milfoil throughout Wisconsin lakes.

For my masters research, I am examining microcystin concentrations for 170 Florida lakes encompassing a wide range of trophic status and geographic location using an Enzyme- Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).  In addition, specific limnological variables and microcystin concentrations are being examined from select Lake County, FL lakes. 

New paper: Bigham, D. L., Hoyer, M. V. and Canfield Jr., D. E.  2009. Survey of toxic algal (microcystin) distribution in Florida lakes',Lake and Reservoir Management, 25:3,264 — 275.  (send e-mail for a pdf.)