Assistant Professor
Contact Info
Institution: Utah State University, Senior Partner
Phone: (406) 600-2369
Address: 1595 N 1600 E, Logan, Utah 84341, US
Research Disciplines
Diseases/Pathogens
Behavioral Ecology
Conservation Ecology
Statistical Ecology
Wildlife Ecology
Ecology/Landscape
Exotic Diseases
Population Biology
Livestock and Wildlife interactions
Modeling and Simulation
Animal Behavior
Exotic wildlife diseases
Research Interests
Disease ecology, movement ecology, spatial-social interface, desert ecology, bighorn sheep, mule deer, moose, elk, mountain goats, guzzlers, mating systems, reproduction
Projects
- Refining core herd home range and movement estimates for desert bighorn sheep throughout Clark County, NV. (in collaboration with USGS-Western Ecological Research Center)
- Using ungulate movement to assess disease spillover risk in Montana. (in collaboration with USGS-Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center)
Biography
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center at Utah State University. I hold an MS in statistics (Montana State University, 2009) and a PhD in biology (Pennsylvania State University, 2016), and I conducted post-doctoral research with the USGS and USDA. I have active research projects in Idaho, Washington, Montana, Utah, and Nevada, and collaborate closely with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Wild Sheep Working Group. My research uses a combination of field, statistical modeling, and simulation/mathematical modeling approaches, and tends to focus on a) accurate predictions of wildlife movement dynamics in particular systems; or b) how those movement dynamics shape pathogen transmission and spillover risk.
Education
- Ph.D., Biology, Pennsylvania State University (2016; advisor Dr. Peter Hudson, FRS)
- M.S., Statistics, Montana State University (2009; advisor Dr. Megan Higgs)
- B.A., Saint Olaf College (2006)