Sam Elliott

I joined FLBS in 2025 as a master's student under the mentorship of Dr. Matt Church. I got my B.S. In microbiology from Louisiana State University, where I was introduced to the field of microbial ecology knee deep in the mud of the Mississippi River Delta. At FLBS, I study periphyton growth and its responses to nutrient availability in Flathead Lake. I am particularly interested in knowing the importance of certain nutrients for periphyton growth throughout a growing season and how different nutrients may be more important in different parts of the lake. As an avid outdoorsman, I have a passion for every season, but you'll be hard-pressed to find me doing anything but duck hunting in the fall and winter.