Kirk Winemiller

Kirk Winemiller is a University Distinguished Professor and Regents Professor in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University, currently serving as Interim Department Head. He is a leading expert in fisheries and aquatic ecology, with research focused on life history strategies, food web dynamics, and ecosystem responses to hydrological changes. His work spans global freshwater systems, including the Amazon, Yangtze, and Mekong rivers.

Winemiller holds a B.A. (Zoology, Miami University), M.S. (Zoology, Miami University), and Ph.D. (Zoology, University of Texas-Austin). He has authored over 300 publications and three books, with notable contributions on fish life histories and food web ecology. His research addresses critical issues like hydropower impacts, invasive species, and climate change effects on aquatic ecosystems.

His scientific awards include the American Fisheries Society’s Award of Excellence (2019) and the Mercer Award from the Ecological Society of America. He serves as a Fellow of AAAS, ESA, and the American Fisheries Society. Winemiller’s work integrates field studies, modeling, and conservation policy, emphasizing environmental flow management and biodiversity preservation.

Key research themes include the ecological consequences of hydroelectric dams, functional diversity in tropical rivers, and trophic interactions in aquatic food webs. His team uses stable isotope analysis, functional trait profiling, and long-term monitoring to understand ecosystem resilience. Current projects explore climate change impacts on fisheries and the role of floodplain habitats in sustaining biodiversity.