Stephen M. Coghlan Jr.

Stephen M. Coghlan Jr. is an Associate Professor of Freshwater Fisheries Ecology at the University of Maine’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology. He joined the university in 2006 and focuses on native fish species, ecosystem dynamics, and the intersection of ecological science with biophysical economic challenges. His work addresses the MetaCrisis and societal adaptation to planetary boundaries.

Education:

• Bachelor’s and PhD from SUNY-ESF, studying Atlantic Salmon restoration in the Lake Ontario watershed.
• Postdoctoral research at Arkansas State University on trout life-history patterns.

Research Interests: Steve’s research spans freshwater fish ecology, dam impacts on fish communities, anadromous species like Sea Lamprey, and the ecological-economic dynamics of the Great Simplification. He investigates viability of subsistence activities (e.g., fishing, hunting) as societal adaptations to resource scarcity.

Teaching: Courses include Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, Ecological Statistics, General Ecology, and Biophysical Economics.

Community Engagement: He serves as Maine Chapter President of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE).

Lifestyle and Advocacy: Combines academic work with homesteading practices (fishing, gardening, firewood harvesting) and promotes resilience strategies for rural communities facing ecological and economic instability.