Theodore Castro-Santos

Theodore Castro-Santos is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts. His research focuses on the biomechanics, physiology, and behavior of migratory fishes, particularly in the context of riverine barrier mitigation and fish passage engineering. He contributes to interdisciplinary studies that bridge aquatic ecology and bioengineering.

Education

• Ph.D., University of Massachusetts
• M.S., Washington State University
• B.A., Colgate University

Research Interests

His work addresses the fragmentation of riverine habitats caused by human infrastructure like dams and culverts, emphasizing diadromous species such as Atlantic salmon and American shad. Key projects include:

• Sprint-swimming performance of migratory and riverine species
• Effects of turbulence on swimming mechanics and behavior
• Modeling fish passage through culverts
• Bioenergetics of anadromous fish migrations
• Bioengineering fish passage structures with biologically relevant metrics
• Studying physiology, behavior, and passage performance in South American fish species