Samantha Garcia is a recent Master of Science graduate in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on environmental DNA (eDNA) and its application to freshwater ecosystems, including her recently published work on the effect of crayfish molting on eDNA detectability. She was a 2024 Knauss Fellow with NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement and is a current SFS Emerge Fellow. Samantha is eager to apply her expertise in freshwater science and eDNA to new opportunities in research, policy, or conservation.