Brad Baldwin
Associate Professor of Biology

Associate professor of biology Brad Baldwin grew up in the flat farm country of Illinois, which makes his area of expertise, aquatic ecology, rather ironic. He earned his bach elor’s degree in that part of the world, in zoology at Southern Illinois University in 1980, then moved nearer ocean waters, obtaining his doctorate in marine science at the University of Maryland in 1992.

His current research focuses on the zebra mussel invasion of North Country waters and coral reef ecology. Recent publications on the topic include “Invasion of Lake Ontario by the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis): Historical Development and Ecological Implications,” and “Comparative Growth and Feeding in Zebra and Quagga Mussels: Implications for North American Lakes.”

“I am interested in factors that affect populations of invertebrate animals such as zebra mussels and oysters,” he explains. “Much of my early work focused on the ability of oyster larvae from Chesapeake Bay to feed and grow. More recently, I have examined the biology and ecology of zebra and quagga mussels, which are exotic species that have devastated many North American lakes and rivers. At St. Lawrence, I have worked with undergraduates on research projects concerning the competition, feeding biology, environmental tolerance, reproduction, and geographic spread of these troublesome animals.”

In his spare time, Baldwin enjoys SCUBA diving and woodworking. Having conducted coral reef research in the Caribbean, with students, he is heading up a project to deliver school supplies to areas in that region that were hard hit by Hurricane Francis in fall 2004.