Jay Stauffer, Jr.

Jay Stauffer, Jr. serves as a Distinguished Professor of Ichthyology at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA, with his office located in the Forest Resources Building. He is an active member of the Graduate Faculty for the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology and chairs the University Committee of Systematic Collections.

His educational qualifications include:

• B.S. from Cornell University (1972)
• Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1975)

Dr. Stauffer's research centers on pressing aquatic ecosystem challenges, particularly the conservation of endangered freshwater fishes and the behavioral dynamics of fish communities. His work addresses critical public health issues through biological control of bilharzia (schistosomiasis) in Lake Malawi via snail-eating fish predators, investigates ecological disruptions caused by introduced species like Etheostoma zonale in Appalachian rivers, and develops biodiversity assessment frameworks for complex ecosystems containing thousands of undescribed fish species. These studies integrate morphological, genetic, and behavioral analyses to support sustainable resource management.

His scientific recognition includes:

• Fulbright Research Fellow to Malawi, Africa

Dr. Stauffer leads significant international research initiatives focused on Lake Malawi's fisheries and Appalachian river ecosystems, addressing overfishing consequences, invasive species impacts, and disease vector control. His projects involve field studies in Malawi and laboratory investigations of habitat partitioning and species interactions, with implications for both ecological conservation and human health interventions. He teaches core courses including Ichthyology, Systematics and Evolution of Fishes, and Ecology of Fishes.