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Dr. Eric Dibble

Dr. Eric Dibble is passionate about aquatic ecology, with a career spanning over 21 years at Mississippi State University and over 25 years in Mississippi. His work has been important for advancing ecology and fisheries biology in Mississippi and in the development of many young professionals as a mentor and friend.

Dr. Dibble's work has elucidated important ecological relationships between fish and macrophytic plant communities with application to fish foraging behavior, fish community diversity and water quality. His research has also focused on invasion ecology with application to impacts of exotic species such as Asian carp and invasive plant species, and restoration of aquatic plant communities and habitat structure. He has always maintained a healthy balance between ecological theory and application. His work is well cited with publications in journals such as Ecology of Freshwater Fish, Journal of Freshwater Ecology, Southeastern Naturalist, Hydrobiologia, and Journal of Applied Ecology, indicating its importance to the scientific community. Dr. Dibble's research has benefitted from important relationships in Mississippi with state and federal agencies. He has also built international bridges through relationships with researchers in Brazil.

Dr. Dibble has shined through his investment into people. He taught classes in ichthyology and fish ecology at Mississippi State University, and many graduate students have also enjoyed his class in advanced ecology. He is an excellent teacher with early teaching experience benefiting from his time spent in Guam, Wisconsin and Arkansas. He has valued education and mentorship. As a mentor, he has advised over 25 graduate students with many having impacts in the fields of ecology, fisheries, limnology and aquatic ecology. He has also served on over 70 graduate student committees, indicating the degree of respect for his science and mentoring abilities among his colleagues and graduate students. He has a keen eye for getting to the heart of research and many have heard him ask: "so what is your question?" Peers, mentees and students can attest that he has a heart for people and is just a genuinely friendly person that is a pleasure to spend time with.

Dr. Dibble has led through his great example of service. At Mississippi State University, in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, he served as Undergraduate Coordinator and later as Graduate Coordinator. He has greatly helped to shape the curriculum, the clarity of the academic institution for students and has set the standard on fair treatment of students. Recently, he also served as Interim Department Head for approximately 3 years, where he was a rock in a time of transition for the Department. For the Mississippi Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, he has served as President of the Chapter, and regularly helped out where needed, particularly in helping to organize student judging and look out for the welfare of students.