To start off Women’s History Month, we are honoring one of our wonderful Women of Fisheries. Back in 2018, we started highlighting members in the private discussion group, starting with Dr. Jesse Trushenski. As the Chief Science Officer for Riverence, the largest producer of farmed Rainbow Trout and Steelhead in the Americas, Jesse has always been driven by the practical applications of science (in her case, fish nutrition, physiology, or health), has authored or co-authored over 190 research publications, and recently wrote a book (Understanding Aquaculture) addressing concerns about aquaculture. She has served on several advisory panels and other committees addressing aquaculture research, regulation, and policy and was the 134th President of the American Fisheries Society. When we talked to her about sharing her profile publicly, she said that her favorite part of this group is to “see women (especially young women) asking for advice and all of their ‘fish-sisters’ reaching out with what’s worked for them.” So in the future, our profiles on Women of Fisheries members will be “Fish Sister” profiles!
If you would like to nominate someone for a future profile, please fill out this form!
Current Position:
I am the Chief Science Officer for Riverence, the largest producer of farmed Rainbow Trout and Steelhead in the Americas. Riverence also produces premium Rainbow Trout genetics and is the only commercial supplier of Atlantic Salmon and Coho Salmon eggs located in the USA. I’m also the Lead for R&D North America for STIM, a Norwegian company providing fish products, veterinary and environmental services to the Atlantic Salmon aquaculture industry worldwide. In these roles, I manage a diverse R&D portfolio for Riverence and STIM and provide executive-level science leadership across the companies’ operations.
General description of your work/research:
In my current position, I provide science leadership and research project management support for Riverence and STIM’s various aquaculture-related endeavors. One day, I might be preparing a synthesis of peer reviewed literature for our staff, the next I might be conducting a field experiment at one of our farm sites. I get to do what I’m best at, but I also get an opportunity to play in other sandboxes, using different parts of my brain to support the team. Before I joined the private sector, I was an Associate Professor at Southern Illinois University and Fish Pathologist Supervisor for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Working for IDFG, I led the nationally recognized Eagle Fish Health Laboratory (EFHL) responsible for surveillance and diagnostics throughout the state of Idaho. At SIU, I established my research team as one of the leading fish nutrition groups in the country.
How long have you been in fisheries?
Although my undergraduate major was biology with a marine science emphasis, I don’t feel as though I really got my start in fisheries until I started grad school, in 2002.
How did you get into the field?
I have always been interested in fish—growing up, we had a small creek that bordered our property, and I spent many afternoons fishing for trout. Then came aquaria and keeping a variety of goldfish and tropical fish. In high school, I did an internship at Sea World of Texas. Most of the other interns were only there to take pictures with Shamu, but the best part for me was a presentation by one of the research staff. He was showing hormone profiles of sea turtles as they come into their breeding season. Everyone else was bored to tears, but I was hanging on every word. I thought, “Yes, this—this is what I want to do.” That was part of it, discovering research as a career. I didn’t learn about aquaculture until my senior year of college, but when I did, it was like another piece of the puzzle snapped into place. Here was a way for me to do meaningful science that could make a difference.
Who has been your favorite mentor or role model?
Everyone you encounter has something to teach you. Sometimes, they show you the way, other the lesson is what not to do. A couple of professional mentors stand out, though. My Ph.D. advisor, Chris Kohler, took a chance on me and brought me halfway across the country to do aquaculture research. He showed me the ropes and gave me the career that I love. My supervisor at IDFG, Paul Kline, has also been one of my closest allies and mentors. He taught me much of what I know about navigating politically charged waters and how to build trust. I’m so grateful to call both of these men mentors and friends. Of course, I wasn’t an empty vessel when they met me. My parents gave me a good work ethic and practical how-to skills, and have always supported my professional interests, even if they didn’t always understand them.
Who had the greatest influence on you?
This is a tough question to answer, since there are so many people in our lives that influence us one way or another. I think the best answer I can give, though, is that no one has more influence than us. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.” It can been really difficult to live up to that, but it really is true. We can try to surround ourselves with positive influencers, but we’re still bound to encounter people who would rather derail or dismiss you. Don’t let them. Don’t let people like that make your decisions for you.
What was the best advice you’ve gotten?
“Do you want to be righteous, or do you want to be effective?” I might feel very strongly that the solution to a particular problem is A, but they are probably others who feel just as strongly that the right solution is B. We can disagree, but we don’t have to be disagreeable, and righteous indignation isn’t the first stop on the way to common ground or a durable compromise. This doesn’t mean compromising your standards, but thinking carefully about what’s really important to you and where you might be a little more effective. It’s about giving your ‘adversary’ room to negotiate and, when a compromise is reached, to be able to claim a little victory for themselves, too.
What is your favorite thing about working in fisheries?
“Data to information, information to action” has been a guiding maxim in my career. I’m not interested in doing science just to have it sit on a shelf—I want it to be used. I love my job because it allows me to live and work by that maxim and to see my work making a difference for fisheries resources.
What was the coolest experience you’ve had while working in fisheries?
I am incredibly proud of the work I did at IDFG to address stocking success for Snake River Sockeye Salmon smolts. For three years, the newly constructed Springfield Hatchery had produced beautiful smolts, but few of these fish found their way to the ocean to help with the recovery of this iconic species. We did a bit of forensic work and discovered that a difference in water chemistry between the hatchery and the release site was stressing the fish. We found a solution to acclimate the fish, and the next year’s outmigration survival achieved unprecedented levels. This is exactly the kind of work I love to do: we use our research tools to identify a problem and solve it. It was immensely gratifying to lead that effort and see the success play out for everyone, especially the smolts.
What is your favorite fish?
With more than 30,000 to choose from, that’s a hard question to answer! I’ve yet to come across a fish that isn’t a little miracle of evolution. So how can I choose? I cut my teeth working with hybrid striped bass, so Morone spp. hold a special place in my heart. I grew up fishing for Rainbow Trout and now I work with them, so those are special, too (plus, they’re one of my favorite to eat). But I would have to say that the humble goldfish is one of my all-time favorites. I have a large tank in my office and it’s filled with a variety of orandas, ryukins, and others. Feeding fish is still my favorite part of husbandry, and my goldfish are good little eaters.
Is there anything else you want to share?
I can’t say that I ever personally felt the absence of female role models in my career, but I recognize how important it can be to see ourselves in the career paths we hope to follow. Knowing what my career means to me, it breaks my heart to think that there are people out there who feel they can’t find the same professional fulfillment. For those who might question whether they belong in fisheries or can build the career they want in our profession, I hope that I can be the evidence that they can.
Do you have any messages for the Women of Fisheries followers?
Network, network, network. There’s evidence that making connections is one of the most successful ways for women to get ahead, in any profession. Every professional opportunity I’ve had has been related—in one way or another—to a professional connection I had. Getting involved in AFS—not just paying dues, but editing a newsletter, serving on a committee, and so forth—is how people have come to know me and my strengths. It’s also how I developed skills and experience that weren’t directly related to my ‘day job’, but helped me do my job better (or prepare for the next one). It doesn’t have to be AFS, but I strongly encourage everyone to find a way to build a network and stretch themselves professionally.