He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Texas State University-San Marcos and Ph.D. from Kansas State University. His research focus is freshwater fish ecology and conservation, with emphasis on riverine landscapes, reproductive ecology of fishes, and the effects of drought on fish populations and communities. Recent research projects include effects of groundwater depletion on Great Plains stream fish communities, prioritizing native fish reintroductions into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and conservation planning based on linking fish traits to riverscape alterations such as land use change and stream impoundment.