A PhD student in the labs of Dr Anthony Dell at the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center and Dr Elizabeth Mallott at Washington University in St Louis, David Hernandez is investigating the effects of contaminants such as microplastics on the behavior and microbiomes of freshwater fish in the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Through integrating both behavioral tracking and metagenomic analysis he hopes to understand the physiological pathways that plastic pollution alters that risk ecosystem health.