Steve Wells, M.S.
Steve Wells is the Senior Scientist and Owner of Aquaticus LLC. During his undergraduate work, Steve became interested in freshwater invasive species while exploring the Hudson River, New York in a rowboat and finding bays filled with water chestnut (Trapa natans). Steve researched the life phenology of invasive freshwater plants for his graduate studies (i.e., curlyleaf pondweed, Potamogeton crispus). He worked at the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State University, Oregon primarily with freshwater invasive bivalves from 2003 until 2017, and he managed the Veliger Identification Laboratory at PSU for over ten years. His research interests include freshwater invasive species with a focus on zebra, quagga, and golden mussels.
Education:
M.S., Environmental Science and Management, Portland State University, Oregon
B.S., Environmental Sciences-Biology, Marist College, New York
Expertise:
Cross-polarized microscopy for detection and identification of bivalve larvae or veligers; invasive freshwater bivalves; freshwater submersed plants; early detection and monitoring; control; aquatic invasive species identification and biology; and field experiments.
Key strengths:
Troubleshooting under difficult conditions; technical writing; communicating with diverse audiences; and working from small boats in rivers, reservoirs, and lakes.
Experience with freshwater invasive species: Steve has over 20 years of field and laboratory experience working with invasive species. He has trained more than ten agencies in cross-polarized light microscopy and has worked on more than 35 funded research and monitoring projects in rivers and reservoirs using moored buoys, cages, and settlement plates. He has helped develop regional standard operating procedures, quality assurance project plans, training manuals, and numerous technical reports.