Steven G. Smith, Ph.D.

Background

Steve Smith has worked as a mathematical statistician for NOAA Fisheries since 1994. His principal responsibility has been management and analysis of data from PIT-tagged juvenile salmonids. Steve was a member of the regional Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses (PATH), a scientific forum focused on assessing impacts on endangered salmonid stocks and planning future experiments to resolve uncertainties. Prior to joining NOAA Fisheries, Steve was a graduate student and then a professional staff member at the University of Washington. He developed statistical models for capture-recapture data and computer software (SURPH) to implement them. Steve earned a B.S. in computer science and applied statistics from Utah State University and a M.S. in biostatistics and a Ph.D. in quantitative ecology and resource management from the University of Washington.

Current Research

Steve is currently involved in studies that use PIT-tagged or radio-tagged fish to estimate survival through specific passage routes at dams. Those studies include: juvenile survival, Idaho wild chinook salmon, inriver migration vs. barged smolts, delayed mortality/multiple bypass systems, ocean entry timing and adult returns, and analysis of PIT-tag recoveries on bird colonies.