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

-Interfaces of Global Change Fellow  

-NSF GRFP Honorable Mention


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 

Tessa Thibodeau


Piyali Roy

Kathryn Ouimet

Allison Montgomery

Isabella  Iscaro

Past undergraduate researchers

Madison Ruschaupt, Class of 2023, Biological Sciences

Sean Horner, Class of 2023, Biological Sciences

Nathan Ferguson, Class of 2023, College of Natural Resources and Environment

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

Tyler Allen, Class of 2022, Biological Sciences

Ray Crump Class of 2022, Biological Systems Engineering