Peter Westley

Peter Westley is an Associate Professor and the Lowell A. Wakefield Chair in Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, within the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. His research focuses on how fish respond to rapid environmental changes, integrating field studies, laboratory experiments, meta-analyses, and modeling. Key areas include phenotypic plasticity, life history evolution, and eco-evolutionary dynamics in aquatic systems.

Education: He holds a B.S. (2004), M.S. (2007), and Ph.D. (2012) in Fisheries/Biology from the University of Washington and Memorial University of Newfoundland. Postdoctoral training in Fisheries (2012) further strengthens his expertise.

Research Interests: Dr. Westley investigates climate change impacts on salmon populations, invasive species ecology, and the role of phenotypic plasticity in adaptation. His work addresses contemporary evolution, dispersal behaviors, and the economic implications of hatchery straying. Current projects include studying northern pike invasions in Alaska and modeling Chinook salmon life cycles.

Advising & Grants: He mentors graduate students in fisheries and ecology. His lab (Salmonid Evolutionary Ecology & Conservation Lab) explores topics like hatchery-wild interactions and invasive species impacts. He collaborates internationally and is affiliated with NOAA for Arctic salmon studies.

Labs/Teams: Director of the SEEC Lab, which combines ecological, genetic, and modeling approaches to address conservation challenges in salmon systems.