Benjamin Z. Szczygiel, M.A.

Benjamin Szczygiel is a Research Technician/Aquatic Research Specialist at the Great Lakes Center (GLC), located in Buffalo, New York. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto in 2014 with a major of Astronomy and Astrophysics and minors in Biology and Physics. He returned to school at Buffalo State University to finish up a degree in Biology. During his second time as an undergraduate, he worked as a research assistant for different members of the Biology department. This included benthic, hellbender and mudpuppy work. Finally, after working on a project on the Niagara River looking at Emerald Shiner populations, he decided to get a master’s degree under Dr. Pérez-Fuentetaja. 

After graduation, Ben began work at Purdue University and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant as an Aquatic Ecosystems Specialist and ran their buoy program. This involved operating and maintaining weather data buoys on Lake Michigan as well as handling public outreach involving the buoys. Additionally, he maintained vessels and research equipment as well as assisted in planning and executing various field work projects. Eventually, Ben returned to Buffalo and hopes to help build out the buoy program at the GLC and Buffalo State University.

Education

M.A., Biology, Buffalo State University, 2020

B.A. Biology, Buffalo State University, 2018

B.S., Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 2014

Research Interests

Aquatic Ecology 

Limnology

Trophic Dynamics