Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Massachusetts
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Massachusetts Technical Assistance Activities


Personnel at the Massachusetts Unit installing temperature loggers in a stream.

Description and Agency Provider(s) Date
Webinar, Conservation Science Web Conference Series CSP3900 08/20/2009 Striped bass movements and diets in coastal Massachusetts
usfws
August 2009
Technical Advisory Group for pond management for the Cape Cod Commission Freshwater Ponds Initiative
Cape Cod Commission
Roy May 2023
Team Coordinator for Structured Decision Making workshop
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Roy February 2020
Structured Decision-Making Workshop related to Chronic Wasting Disease management in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
DiRenzo, McEachran February 2024
Search Committee, Assistant Regional Director for Science Applications for USFWS Region 5
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Roy February 2020
Roseate Tern working group
MassWildlife
DiRenzo March 2021
R Hacky Hour: The goal is to build a community of folks that code of all skill levels. To do this, we will meet once a week for 1 hr.
University of Massachusetts
DiRenzo January 2022
QSG: To help graduate students think through their study design and statistical analyses.
University of Massachusetts
DiRenzo January 2021
Providing oversight to the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
Roy October 2023
Providing fish and water quality data and interpretation for the Cotton Gin Dam in Southeast Massachusetts.
Industrial Economics, Inc
Roy, Devine, Abbott March 2022
Provided technical information about conducting contour surveys for golden eagles
Migratory Birds Program
Wilson November 2021
Provided technical guidance to state agencies for the revision to the Massachusetts General Environmental Impact Report for Lake Management.
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Roy April 2023
Provided input on prioritization of restoration activities within the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers
OARS
Roy February 2023
Provided information on rat control in seabird colonies to the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology
Sievert November 2003
Provided data and guidance on how to interpret potential ecological impacts of the dam and potential responses to dam removal at a dam on the Charles River in South Natick, Massachusetts.
Charles River Dam Advisory Committee
Roy, Abbott September 2021
Provide input on river herring populations, migration, and habitat use to restoration n the Connecticut River.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Roy November 2023
Provide input on habitat quality and availability to guide management and restoration for diadromous fishes in the Connecticut River.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Roy November 2023
Participated in meetings to plan training for towns, non-profits, and community members interested in conducting dam removal.
Blackstone Watershed Collaborative
Roy March 2023
Organizer, Workshop on An Introduction to Best Practices in Species Distribution Modeling (SDMs). Participants originate from Kansas State University and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, Tourism
Mather September 2010
Northeastern Naturalist, Guest Editor, Manuscript on Striped bass Winter Movements, 2009-2010
NGO
Mather December 2009
Nest cameras capture important life stages of nesting bald eagles. We are developing a machine learning model that can potentially be used to monitor nesting phenology and food-provisioning events.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory birds program
Wilson September 2022
NE AFS Student Paper Judge, Committee Chair, April, 2010.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Mather April 2010
Monitoring questing winter ticks can be challenging in the best conditions, and the harsh realities of fieldwork don't often cooperate with white-board statistical sampling designs. We are co-creating and testing a protocol for sampling and estimation of off-host winter tick density. We are also analyzing the data.
Penobscot Indian Nation
Wilson, Siren, Berube April 2022
Member, SeaGrant Review Panel
SeaGrant (Maine)
September 2007
Member, Research Grade Evaluation Panel, U.S. Geological Survey
USGS
November 2005
Member, National Undersea Research Review Panel, Monterey, CA
NURP
October 2003
Meeting monthly to discuss MassWildlife Turtle projects
MassWildlife
DiRenzo, Truckenbrod July 2024
Maine Atlantic salmon program through Seagrant: Attended advisory session, July 2008
NOAA
Mather July 2008
Lower Connecticut River Studies Group, member, organized by Ken Sprankle, USFWS. With fisheries biologists from Connecticut, identify research and education opportunities in the lower Connecticut River.
USFWS
Mather September 2008
Led teacher's workshop for middle and high school teachers in Springfield under the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Sustainable Springfield Urban Partnership
Springfield Teachers
Roy June 2016
Leadership Team, Yellow Lampmussel Working Group comprised of state agencies (from Maine to Georgia), federal agencies (USFWS, USGS), Canadian provinces, academics, and others; bi-monthly meetings
Several
Roy, Murphy, Farrington, Fedarick December 2022
Involved in rattlesnake and cooperhead working group organized by Dr. Mike Jones at MassWildlife
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
DiRenzo January 2024
Invited Expert. Resilience of North Atlantic Diadromous Fish Assemblages, April 1-2, 2010, University of Maine, Orono.
University of Maine
Mather March 2010
Invited Expert. Assessing river herring declines, Providence, RI, January 2008
Environmental Defense Fund
January 2008
Invited Expert and Panelist, Restore America’s Estuaries, Coffeehouse Panel on Integrating Natural and Social Sciences, Providence, RI, October, 2008
Restore America's Estuaries
October 2008
I helped park personnel design and conduct a distance sampling survey for brown bears in Katmai National Park and Preserve using the Southwest Alaska Network's revised protocol. I oversaw data collection and management and served as observer in some of the survey flights.
Katmai National Park and Preserve
Wilson, Skora September 2021
I helped organize the March 2024 DDAR retreat. The retreat was a 2.5 day event that encompassed workshops, identifying disease decision support gaps, and outlining synthesis papers.
USGS
DiRenzo January 2024
Habitat availability for vulnerable species in the forests of the Gorbea National Park, Northern Spain; review and comment of habitat characteristics for northern goshawks, 15 Jan. 2004.
DeStefano January 2004
Fish and Fisheries Focus Lunch Series, Organizer. Spring, 2010. Goal: To write a mission statement and “brand brochure” for fish and fisheries research and graduate education at Umass-Amherst.
University of Massachusetts
Mather September 2009
Evaluating the effects of survey platform on double-observer survey results. We also started a project to measure moose density using a camera array as an alternative to manned aerial surveys.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Wilson, Siren November 2021
Disease Decision Analysis Research Steering Committee - meet monthly/quarterly to discuss direction of the group & priority disease needs
USGS
DiRenzo, Bletz January 2023
Developed a model to simulate the population growth of the endangered short-tailed albatross.
Sievert November 2002
Developed a model to simulate population growth of black-footed albatrosses on Torishima, Japan
Sievert December 2003
Developed a demographic model to simulate the growth of the spotted turtle population in Massachusetts.
Sievert December 2002
Developed a demographic model to simulate the growth of the Blanding's turtle population in Massachusetts.
Sievert December 2002
Designed fixed-wing aerial surveys to map seawater incursion from extensive coastal flooding caused by typhoon Merbok at a remote research site in southwest Alaska.
South Dakota State university
Wilson December 2022
Demonstration on Video Camera Set-up, Organizer, for DMF biologists, January 2010.
MDMF
Mather January 2009
Coordinator, Brook Floater Working Group comprised of state agencies (from Maine to Georgia), federal agencies (USFWS, USGS), Canadian provinces, academics, and others; monthly meetings
Several
Roy January 2019
Cooperator Data Exchange, Striped bass acoustic tag data exchange (DMF, UNH, CT DEP, DSU).
Atlantic States
Mather September 2008
Conte Refuge Education and Outreach Collaborative Venture, Planning committee member. With Robert Muth (UMASS), Ken Sprankle (USFWS), Sarah Bevilacqua (USFWS), Sarah Wells (undergraduate, UMASS). Goal: To explore opportunities for undergraduate and graduate outreach and field research experience in the Connecticut River.
USFWS
Mather September 2008
Collaborated with the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, and the USFWS, in a satellite telemetry study of short-tailed albatrosses.
Sievert May 2002
Advised USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station to design multi-scale camera arrays to be used for long term multi-species monitoring.
Pacific Southwest Research Station
Wilson, Siren April 2023
Role - Description Provider         Start Date        End Date       
TT Wildlife Ecologist Search Committee DiRenzo September 2023 May 2024
Steering Committee, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy September 2012 Present
Statistical Examiner, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program Sievert January 2004 Present
Search Committee for Population Ecologist/Biostatistician - Evaluated and selected candidates to be interviewed; assisted with logistics of interview process; made recommendations to Department Head and Dean. DeStefano January 2015 April 2015
School of Marine Sciences, Campus Representative Mather January 2006 December 2007
School of Marine Sciences Admissions Committee Mather January 2004 December 2010
R Hacky Hour - Organize the group DiRenzo January 2023 Present
Quantitative Sciences Group - Member of a small committee that provides study design and analysis advice for faculty and students in the Department of Environmental Conservation and Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program. Wilson February 2021 Present
Quantitative Science Group - Provide advice to students related to statistical analyses for theses and dissertations DiRenzo January 2021 Present
Participant, MS Comprehensive Exam Reevaluation Ad-Hoc Committee, Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Roy August 2015 March 2016
Participant, Environmental Conservation Fisheries Curriculum Committee, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy September 2012 Present
Mentor, UNVEIL Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst - A new professional development for postdocs aimed at revealing the hidden curriculum of faculty job application, interviewing and negotiation to contribute to diversifying scientific leadership. Roy May 2024 Present
Mentor, Pod, Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst - Attend organize and attend at least 1 meeting per semester. Roy September 2023 Present
Member, Seminar Committee, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy October 2014 May 2017
Member, School of Marine Sciences Mather September 2004 December 2010
Member, Quantitative Sciences Group - Provide weekly statistical consulting to graduate students and faculty at the University of Massachusetts. Sievert September 2008 Present
Member, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Steering Committee Sievert January 2001 Present
Member, JEDI Recruitment & Retention Task Force, Organismic & Evolutionary Biology Program and Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy January 2021 June 2021
Member, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Mather September 1998 September 2004
Member, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Sievert January 2012 Present
Member, Admissions Committee, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy September 2021 June 2022
Environmental Conservation Graduate Student Symposium (ECoGSS) Roy April 2017 March 2018
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice Award Committee - I reviewed applications for the DEIJ awards in the ECO department. DiRenzo August 2021 August 2021
DEIJ Awards Committee/ ECO, UMass - Myself and one other person reviewed applications for DEIJ awards under several categories. Together we made the selections and notified the winners. Wilson May 2021 May 2021
Conservation Genetics Search Committee Roy September 2016 January 2017
Committee Member, Science and Technical Advisory Committee, Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Review management activities of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation statewide conservation and watershed lands, with emphasis on forest and watershed management. Serve as expert on forest wildlife ecology and conservation. DeStefano June 2010 Present
Chair, Seminar Committee, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy May 2017 June 2020
Chair, ECo Doctoral Program Vision Ad-Hoc Committee, Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Roy February 2015 April 2015
Chair, Admissions Committee, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst Roy July 2022 Present
Chair and Member, Graduate Admissions Committee for Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Sievert January 2005 Present
CRU DEIJ committee - I am serving as a member of the CRU DEIJ committee DiRenzo September 2021 July 2023
Associate Director, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program Sievert January 2010 Present
Advisory, UNVEIL Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst - A new professional development for postdocs aimed at revealing the hidden curriculum of faculty job application, interviewing and negotiation to contribute to diversifying scientific leadership. Roy January 2023 October 2024
Role and Organization Individual         Start Date        End Date       
Plum Island Long Term Ecological Research Site All Scientists Meeting Mather January 1999 December 2017
Planning Team, The River's Calendar Symposium Roy May 2012 December 2012
Planning Team, 3rd Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology Roy February 2012 May 2014
Member, Wood Turtle Working Group Sievert September 2010 Present
Member, Snake Disease Working Group Sievert August 2012 Present
Member, Short-tailed Albatross Recovery Team Sievert November 2002 Present
Member, Northeast Regional Blanding's Turtle Working Group Sievert February 2004 Present
Member, North Pacific Albatross Working Group Sievert November 2002 Present
Member, Herpetological Conservation Working Group Sievert September 2007 Present
Lead Organizer, Continuous Monitoring of Temperature and Flow Workshop Roy December 2013 November 2014
Journal Boot Camp: Society for Freshwater Science Roy May 2018 May 2018
Early Career Lunch Workshop: Society for Freshwater Science Roy May 2018 May 2018
Outreach Activity Provider(s)        Date       
We took teens from the Sothwick Zoo Camp summer programs to visit a camera trapping site. We demonstrated the use of camera traps in research and talked about careers in wildlife biology and conservation. Wilson, Morrow August 2023
USGS Press Release: https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/study-finds-salamanders-are-surprisingly-abundant-northeastern-forests Bletz, DiRenzo August 2024
Talked to Doris Duke Scholars about attending graduate school and what the process for application is like. DiRenzo April 2023
Moose in southern New England?, Interview for Redding Pilot. DeStefano August 2014
Massachusetts and moose: meant for each other, Interview for Boston Globe. DeStefano May 2014
Juliana Berube will deliver a short presentation describing winter tick epizootics in moose at the Northeast Wildlife Trackers meeting on 21 October 2023, in Charlton, MA. Berube, Siren, Wilson October 2023
Ipswich Rotary Speaker Coauthor Mather July 2007
Interviewed for article on Yankee Magazine on moose in New England, including information on status, climate change, winter ticks. DeStefano June 2016
I served on a career panel for a class at the Springfield Technology Community College. DiRenzo July 2021
How do we know if parks are healthy? We measure their vital signs, of course! Across the country, there are 32 inventory and monitoring networks that measure the status and trends of all kinds of park resources. We're learning a lot after years of collecting data. Wilson January 2023
Field trip for the State Directors (and others) attending the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Meeting. Mike Armstrong (MA Division of Marine Fisheries) and I talked about our decade-long collaborative research on river herring. Roy April 2024
Day-long event for 5th graders of Leverett Elementary School and Shutesbury Elementary School (30 kids total) where we provided them field and lab experiences to understand some things we do as aquatic ecologists. Roy, Farrington, Hershberger, Baynes, Stephens, Burgoff May 2024
Coauthor, Marthas Vinyard Surfcasters Annual Banquet Presentation Mather December 2006
A Day in the Life of a Fisheries Biologist. Day-long event for 5th graders of Leverett and Shutesbury Elementary Schools where we provided them field and lab experiences to understand some things we do as aquatic ecologists. I led stations on macroinvertebrate sampling (field) and identification (lab). Roy May 2017
A Day in the Life of a Fisheries Biologist. Day-long event for 5th graders of Leverett Elementary School where we provided them field and lab experiences to understand some things we do as aquatic ecologists. I led stations on macroinvertebrate sampling (field) and identification (lab). Roy May 2018