Susan F Cushman

Susan F. Cushman is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she has been a faculty member since 2007. She is based in Eaton Hall and contributes to the academic and research mission of the Faculty of Sciences.

Education:

• B.S., William Smith College, 1998
• M.S., Johns Hopkins University, 2001
• Ph.D., University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 2006

Her research centers on freshwater ecology, with a focus on stream and fish ecology, restoration ecology, biomonitoring, and conservation. Her work spans multiple ecological scales—from watersheds to individual organisms—primarily in the Finger Lakes region of New York. She investigates mercury accumulation in food webs, stream habitat restoration, urbanization impacts on Castle Creek, and parasitic infections in fish such as blacknose dace.

The published articles reflect a consistent research trajectory in aquatic ecosystems, emphasizing the effects of land use, urbanization, and pollution on stream health and biodiversity. Her work combines field ecology, water quality analysis, and community-level assessments to inform conservation and restoration efforts.

Professional Affiliations:

• Society for Freshwater Science
• American Fisheries Society
• Ecological Society of America
• Society for Ecological Restoration

Susan Cushman mentors students in ecological research and teaches a range of courses including Introductory Biology, General Ecology, Restoration Ecology, and a Senior Seminar in Dispersal Ecology. She collaborates with agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, and local conservation districts on habitat restoration projects. Her work integrates teaching and research, providing students with hands-on experience in environmental monitoring and ecological assessment.

She is actively involved in long-term monitoring and restoration initiatives, particularly in the Finger Lakes National Forest and urbanized watersheds. Her lab focuses on understanding ecological responses to human-induced environmental change and developing science-based strategies for sustainable watershed management.