Taylor Gold Quiros

PhD student at University of Montana

Field: aquatic ecology 

"I work in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen with some really great people."

Taylor Gold Quiros

There’s something magical about rivers. I have always been fascinated them. You can never step in the same river twice – the water changes, the plants grow and float, and the animals reward your search with bright flashes or scales or small ‘plops’ as they breach the water’s surface. We live with freshwater and rely on it; it’s personal and it’s ours to care for and protect.

I research fish communities on the Upper Clark Fork River and see how they have been influenced by the historic copper mining in Butte. This means that I spend many days in boats, counting, identifying, and catching fish. In the lab, I dissect fish to see what they’re eating and how much copper and other metals has made its way into their bodies. This will help us to understand how historic contamination influences fish communities as well as how metals impact the food web.

Science is a way to watch miracles happen in real life. How the world works is the greatest mystery — one filled with never ending questions and excitement.


Taylor Gold Quiros is a PhD graduate student in Dr. Maurry Valett's Aquatic Ecology Laboratory. Taylor is part of the Montana NSF EPSCoR CREWS research team. Learn more about Montana NSF EPSCoR.

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