Skip to main content

About Paula Furey, PhD

I am a freshwater ecologist, with expertise and interests that span phycology (algae), invertebrate biology, taxonomy, biodiversity, and conservation biology. My research centers on the ecology of aquatic ecosystems (lakes, rivers, streams, wetwalls), especially benthic (bottom) communities and algal assemblages. I focus my research on trying to understand what shapes and controls the structure and function of biotic communities and ecosystems, and on using ecology to find better ways to monitor, protect and predict changes in aquatic ecosystems. Visit my lab website: http://drpcfurey.com/

Positions

Present Associate Professor, St. Catherine University ‐ Biology Department
to

Disciplines

Research Interests

Grants

2024 - Present Riverine communities and ecosystem responses to a changing world.
St. Catherine University
AMP
Role: PI, Student Research Collaborator Mentor
Colleague(s): Student Research Collaborator - Incy Rojas Pina
2023 - Present Riverine communities and ecosystem responses to a changing world
US Army Corps of Engineers
sub-contract under Integrating Long Term Datasets with Next Generation Ecological Models to Quantify Ecological Response in Aquatic Systems
Role: algal expertise and student menotring
Colleague(s): grant awarded to Drs A. Schwalb, B. Schwartz, and W. Nowlin
2022 - 2023 Algal response to drying and re-wetting in rivers with intermittent flow
St. Catherine University
3M-STEM Research Grant ; AMP
Role: PI, Student Research Collaborator Mentor
Colleague(s): Student Research Collaborator - Jaidan Ludescher
2021 - 2023 Examining changes to hyporheic exchange flow and nutrient dynamics and their interaction with microbial, algal, and macroinvertebrate communities in response to drying and re-wetting in Texas rivers.
US Army Corps of Engineers
sub-contract
Role: algal expertise and student mentoring
Colleague(s): grant awarded to Drs A. Schwalb, B. Schwartz, and W. Nowlin
2021 - 2022 Assessment of water quality using a modern method to monitor algae.
St. Catherine University -
Summer Scholars; AMP
Role: PI; Student Research Collaborator Mentor
Colleague(s): Student Research Collaborator - Sydney Kennedy
2018 - 2021 Acquisition of a fluorescence microscope to grow research and training of women from diverse multicultural and economic backgrounds at St. Catherine University
NSF
Major Research Instrumentation Grant
Role: PI
Colleague(s): Tami McDonald, Andrea Kalis, Kay Tweeten
$118,176
2019 - 2020 Algae in a warming and nutrient rich world: How temperature and nutrients interact to change species-assemblage structure and function.
St. Catherine University
APDC
Role: PI
Colleague(s): Student Research Collaborator - Maggie Menso
$7,500
2019 - 2020 Invasion of Lionfish on the Caribbean Island of Curaçao Impacts Reef Ecology
3M
3M STEM
Role: PI
Colleague(s): Student Research Collaborator - T. Trettor
$5,000
$
to
Enter a valid date range.

Professional Service and Affiliations

2021 - Present Board of Trustees, Society for Freshwater Science
2021 - Present SHAS - School Curriculum Committee, St. Catherine University
2019 - Present Editorial Review Board, Diatoms of North America
2019 - Present Peace Corps Program Committee, St. Catherine University
2018 - Present Member; Secretary, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, St. Catherine University
2018 - Present Environmental Studies Major Development, St. Catherine University
2015 - Present Admission Representative, Biology Department, St. Catherine University
2005 - Present Live Auction Committee; Meeting Organization Committee, North American Diatom Symposium
2019 - 2022 Data Science Advisory Council, St. Catherine University
2019 - 2020 Mendel Hall – Renovation Advisory Committee, Department of Biology, St. Catherine University
2017 - 2020 APDC Committee, Department of Biology, St. Catherine University
2012 - 2020 Surface-Associated Microbiota Literature Review section leader, Water Environment Research
to
Enter a valid date range.

Honors and Awards

  • Georgia College and State University Journeys Fellow, March 2023
  • Wellspring exhibit and panel discussion on Water, Art, and Justice at Carleton College

Courses

  • Sophomore Seminar
  • Environmental Biology
  • Algal Blooms and Biological Indicators
  • Conservation Biology
  • Algal Ecology
  • Introduction to Ecology (Foundations of Biology 3)
  • Diversity and Evolution (Foundations of Biology 1)

Education

to
2008 Ph.D., Biology, Bowling Green State University
to
2003 Masters of Science, Biology, University of Victoria
to
1997 BS. Biology, & Environmental Studies, University of Victoria
to

Links

Contact Information

Phone: 651-690-8653

Email:

ORCID

Publications (32)