UM Directory

Education

Ph.D., Forest Resources & Human Dimensions of Natural Resources; The Pennsylvania State University, 2010

M.S., Forest Resources; The Pennsylvania State University, 2006

B.S., Environmental Science; Juniata College, 2001

Courses Taught

NRSM 121 - Nature of Montana

NRSM 379 – Collaboration in Natural Resource Decisions

NRSM 398/498 - Resource Conservation Internships

NRSM 574 - Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Theory

NRSM 595 - Survey Data Analysis

Research Interests

I am a social scientist investigating the human dimensions of natural resources and the environment. I apply theories and methods from psychology and sociology-related disciplines to understand and address natural resource issues while advancing theory. I use qualitative, quantitative, mixed, and novel methods to study relationships between humans and the environment and the environmental consequences of human behaviors across scales. I am particularly interested in applying social-ecological systems theory to inform management toward desired outcomes; understanding drivers behind conservation behaviors (including cross-boundary realities of many natural resources) to encourage better stewardship; improving the measurement and use of attitudes, beliefs, and values to inform agency and NGO decisions; and helping ensure people and communities are fairly and meaningfully engaged in dialogue around natural resource decisions. I orient my research toward diverse contexts and issues, including forest management, private land conservation, wildfire, invasive species control, and human-wildlife coexistence. 

Please visit out our Human Dimensions Lab webpage for more information about our research, current projects and students, and courses we teach:

Keywords: private land management and conservation; natural resources extension and outreach; collaboration; social ecological systems; resilience; fire wildfire; forest and river restoration; human-wildlife conflict; invasive species; social-psychology; sociology; psychology; spatial analysis; GIS; multivariate statistics; sampling and estimation; survey research; mixed methods; phenomenology; qualitative quantitative; market analysis; communication; systematic conservation planning; land use planning; conservation triage; conservation marketing; spatial planning

Projects

My current research projects include:

1. Behavioral science and microtargeting for conservation agriculture. Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
2. Human dimensions of Grizzly Bear management, funded by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
3. Increasing homeowner participation in wildfire risk assessments, funded by the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station
4. Social and ecological resilience to wildfire, funded by the Joint Fire Science Program and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Institute
5. Elk management and hunter access in the northern Sapphire Mountains, funded by MPG Ranch
6. Social monitoring for the Southwest Crown of the Continent Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, funded by the USDA Forest Service.
7. Human dimensions of working wet meadows conservation, funded by the Intermountain West Joint Venture
8. Collective action in private lands conservation, funded by the Montana Natural Resources Collaborative Working Group

Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hUVxPw0AAAAJ&hl=en 

Affiliations

W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Department of Society and Conservation

• Environmental Science and Sustainability, Bachelor of Science degree program
• Resource Conservation, Masters of Science degree program
• Wildlife Biology, interdepartmental Bachelor of Science, Masters of Science, and Doctorate of Philosophy degree programs
• Systems Ecology, interdepartmental Masters of Science and Doctorate of Philosophy degree programs
• Forestry and Conservation Sciences, Doctorate of Philosophy program

The Center for Private Forests, Affiliate Faculty

Professional Experience

UM Bridges Department

UM Society and Conservation