2021 KNRC Presentation Award Winners Announced

There were many great online poster presentations at the 2021 Kansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting (as part of the Kansas Natural Resource Conference). This was the first year of doing a virtual format and poster-only sessions. These meetings, virtual or otherwise, would not be as valuable without your willingness to share your research and management findings. We thank those presenters and encourage others to share their project outcomes at next years’ meeting. The winners of the 2021 presentation awards are as follows:

Best Professional Poster

Brett Miller: Life history characteristics of Goldeye in Milford Reservoir, Kansas

Best Student Poster

Alex Martin: Assessing internal phosphorous loading in Marion Reservoir

-Bryan Sowards

Award Committee Chairman

KNRC Award Winners

At the Kansas Natural Resource Conference last week numerous members of the Kansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society were honored with a variety of awards.

Otto Tiemeier-Frank Cross Student Scholarship

James Miazga (top) – Emporia State University

Klaassen Award

Joshua Holloway (bottom) – Pittsburg State University

Catfish 2020 Student Travel Grant

                Katie Schrag – Emporia State University

                Kali Boroughs – Pittsburgh State University

Inaugural Outstanding Fisheries Role Model Award

                Dr. David Edds – Retired, Emporia State University

Special Recognitions

Carson Cox – Awards Committee Chair from 2001 - 2019

                Jessica Mounts – Communications Chair from 2011 - 2019

                Jordan Hofmeier – Chapter President 2018 - 2019

2020 Poster and Presentation Awards

            Student Presentation: Crosby Hedden, Influence of water velocity on growth of two minnow species in the Gila River Basin

            Student Poster: Kali Boroughs, Have Neosho Madtom densities responded to improved water quality in the Spring River

Professional Presentation: James Whitney, Status of the Blackside Darter in Kansas

            Professional Poster: Ernesto Flores, Evaluation of a non-traditional pectoral spine sectioning method for Blue Catfish

Congratulations to all our award winners, it is no easy task for the awards committee to choose from so many exceptional candidates.

The lights were somewhat dimmed in the room so we opted to take photos afterwards, but Josh and Jim were the only two to stick around. I guess they’re more photogenic!

NCD Walleye Technical Committee Student Travel Award

The Walleye Technical Committee is now seeking applications for our 

annual student travel grant: the Sander Award

Purpose: To financially assist a student conducting research of interest to the Walleye Technical Committee (WTC).

Description: A travel grant of $200 from the WTC of the North Central Division of the American Fisheries Society
for a student to attend the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference.

Eligibility Criteria: The recipient of this award must be a student who is currently enrolled in a college or
university for a degree program. Preference will be given to those involved in research of interest to the WTC.

Documentation required: An application letter that includes: student’s name, address, telephone number,
educational institution, department, degree level, a short description of current research, reasons for
attending the meeting (paper or poster presentation, pertinent paper session, sub-unit business and/or technical
meetings), and reasons why financial assistance is needed.

Selection Criteria: The Operations Subcommittee of the WTC will evaluate applicants based on the following
criteria:

a. AFS involvement (reasons for attending the meeting).

b. Relevance of research to the goals of the WTC.

Frequency of Award: The WTC will select one recipient each year.

Deadline: The deadline for receipt of completed applications by the Chair of the WTC is November 1st, 2019.

E-mail application materials to: Mark Ermer at mark.ermer@state.sd.us

2019 Paper and Poster Winners

There were many great presentations at the 2019 Kansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting in Manhattan, Kansas (as part of the Kansas Natural Resource Conference). These meetings would not be as valuable without your willingness to share your research and management findings. We thank those presenters and encourage others to share their project outcomes at next years’ meeting.

The winners of the 2019 awards are as follows:


Best Professional Presentation
Skyler Hedden: Quantifying the predatory threat of Channel Catfish


Best Student Presentation
Elizabeth Renner: Characterizing limnological parameters in Kansas small impoundments across a gradient of Gizzard Shad densities


Best Professional Poster
Jeff Koch: Precision of age estimates obtained from sectioned and whole Bluegill otoliths


Best Student Poster
Joshua Holloway: Distribution, abundance, and condition of nonnative Redear Sunfish in the Spring River subbasin of Kansas


Bryan Sowards
Award Committee Chairman

2 Kansas Job Openings: Glen Elder and Wilson Reservoir Fisheries Aides

Save the Date for 2019!

2018 Business Meeting

Award Chairman Carson Cox presented the following awards from 2017 at the 2018 chapter business meeting:

Past President Award:  Presented to Bryan Sowards
for his service as chapter president.  

Best Professional Paper:  Ben C. Neely. 
“An Evaluation of Channel Catfish X Blue Catfish Hybrids
in Two Small Kansas Impoundments”

Best Student Paper:  Casey A. Pennock. 

“Can Fishways Mitigate Fragmentation Effects 

on Great Plains Fish Communities?”

Best Professional Poster:  Jeff Koch.  

“Exploitation of Walleye in Milford Reservoir, Kansas, 

with an Emphasis on a Large Fishing Tournament”

 Best Student Poster:  Andrew T. Karlin.  

“Drought-Related Declines of the Cylindrical Papershell 

(Anodontoides ferussacianus) in the Saline and Smoky 

Hill Rivers”

(not pictured)

Scholarship Chairman Sean Lynott presented this year's scholarship winners, each receiving a $300 scholarship and expenses paid to attend our annual meeting.

Otto Tiemeier-Frank Cross Student Scholarship: Garret Hopper

Klaassen Award: Tanna Fanshier