Dr. Austin D. Gray

Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech

Faculty Affiliate, Global Change Center 

SETAC North America Board of Directors Member 

Office: 3002 Derring Hall, email austindg[at]vt.edu

@austin_doug13  Google Scholar  ResearchGate  ORCID Curriculum vitae 

I am an aquatic toxicologist that is interested in understanding the ecological consequences associated with emerging contaminants. Emerging contaminants of interest include microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. I utilize physiological and ecological approaches to examine their effect. I also utilize analytical chemistry to understand their occurrence and distribution in aquatic habitats and biota. 

Graduate Students


Kathleen Mayer

Ph.D. Student


William R. Walker Graduate Research Fellow 


Cameron Braswell

Masters student 

Thesis: Effects of Microplastics on Symbiotic Freshwater Keystone Species 

Tyler Allen

Masters student 

Thesis: Presence of metals and microplastics in the redlined community of Richmond, VA. Can microplastics remove metals from environmental matrices? 

SFS Emerge Fellow 

Undergraduate Researchers 

Nathan Ferguson

GCC UG Research Award

Tessa Thibodeau


Piyali Roy

Sean Horner

Madison Ruschaupt


Kathryn Ouimet

Isabella  Iscaro

Allison Montgomery

Past undergraduate researchers

Abby Gill, Class of 2024, Biological Sciences, Honors student 

Tyler Allen, Class of 2022, Biological Sciences

Ray Crump Class of 2022, Biological Systems Engineering