Brandon Gerig

Brandon Gerig is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) within the School of Freshwater Sciences, based at the Great Lakes Research Facility. He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame (2017), an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida (2012), and a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Lake Superior State University (2009). Prior to UWM, he served as an ecologist at the National Park Service and held academic roles at Northern Michigan University, including promotions to Associate Professor in 2022.

His research focuses on freshwater fish ecology, particularly food web dynamics, migratory behaviors, and contaminant transport in aquatic systems. Key areas include the trophic roles of salmonines, invasive species impacts, and stable isotope analyses to trace ecological processes. Recent work emphasizes Lake Superior and Lake Michigan ecosystems, exploring topics such as lake charr competition, walleye movement responses to dreissenid mussels, and metal accumulation in prey fish.

Dr. Gerig’s publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, combining field studies with experimental and modeling frameworks. His work addresses critical environmental challenges, including the ecological consequences of invasive species and the biotransport of pollutants by migratory fish.