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Conservation biologists capture the massive fish for monitoring purposes, which includes clipping a tiny part of its fin for DNA analysis. (Matt Balazik)

Dr. Matt Balazik is featured in The Washington Post

March 18, 2025

The guest column explains the use archaeology, history and ecology to describe the decline of Atlantic sturgeon.

Amelia Johnson and Rice Rivers Center director Greg Garman stand next to an educational sign

Amelia Johnson shares her work on Rice Rivers Center’s educational sign as part of VCU Library Community Zoom

Feb. 28, 2025

Johnson’s Girl Scout Gold Award project captures attention outside of center visitors

John Jones, Ph.D., and Federal Work-Study students like Jade Underwood make sure that the campus' three Ram Fridges are stocked and monitored for safety. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Ram Fridges are giving new life to leftovers

Feb. 27, 2025

As part of a three-year sustainability grant, the project, led by assistant professor John C. Jones, addresses food waste and food insecurity on campus.

VCU researchers analyzed data on eucalyptus tree spread in Australia as part of a worldwide replication study. (Getty Images)

VCU researchers delve into one of biology’s scientific frontiers — by studying studies

Feb. 25, 2025

Launched as the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, the international initiative has significant implications for ecologists and evolutionary biologists.

Two women stand on a pier with binoculars, looking to the sky trying to find birds

Rice Rivers Center part of annual Christmas Bird Count

Jan. 23, 2025

VCU alumna Alyssa Spasic leads the volunteer group

Two men on a boat from VCU on the James River, with a sturgeon in a net

Dr. Matt Balazik the subject of a Richmond Magazine story

Jan. 8, 2025

The article focuses on VCU's ongoing effort to protect spawning sturgeon

(Getty Images)

cRam Session: Water

Nov. 25, 2024

3 questions, 2 minutes, 1 lesson with Paul Bukaveckas, whose course offers a river of knowledge about ‘current’ affairs.

Dr. Matt Balazik on stage accepting a T-Mobile Unconventional Award, holding the award

Matt Balazik, Ph.D., receives national T-Mobile Unconventional Award

Oct. 14, 2024

Financial award goes toward further sturgeon research.

Dr. Matthew Balazik pulls in a gill net on the James River near Osbourne Landing. All photos by Scott Elmquist

Matt Balazik, Ph.D., the focus of Style Weekly's Sunday with Style

Sept. 23, 2024

Even with decades of research, Atlantic sturgeon remain a puzzle despite having roamed local waters for thousands of years.

A surface geology map of the proposed Massive Australian Precambrian-Cambrian Impact Structure. (Provided by Daniel Connelly)

Australian crater could offer fresh insight into Earth’s geological history

Sept. 20, 2024

VCU’s Arif Sikder of the Center for Environmental Studies is part of the research team that is going back in time – by hundreds of millions of years.