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Dr. Neil H. Carter, Associate Professor, PI of Conservation & Coexistence Group
My research is highly interdisciplinary and utilizes field-based, quantitative, and conceptual approaches to understand complex feedbacks among people, wildlife, and ecosystems. I strive to conduct actionable research that advances science and informs decision makers on ways to conserve biodiversity while also sustain (and improve) human well-being. Research interests include: Complexity of socio-environmental systems, sustainability science, wildlife ecology, landscape ecology, conservation ecology, and human dimensions of wildlife management. E-mail: [email protected] Education: Postdoctoral Fellow – National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (2013 - 2015) Ph.D., Fisheries & Wildlife; Michigan State University (2013) M.S., Terrestrial Ecology; University of Michigan (2007) B.S., Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution; University of California, San Diego (2003) |
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Current Conservation & Coexistence Group Members
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Alice Bernard (she/her), PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow My research interests lie in understanding the complex interactions between humans and wildlife to address conservation issues and inform decision making. In my previous work, I mainly focused on how wildlife uses human-modified landscapes and the consequences for wildlife populations. During my PhD, I examined the spatiotemporal use of multifunctional landscapes by African mammals, combining camera trap data with local ecological knowledge. My previous postdoctoral position focused on assessing the impact of offshore wind farms on seabird populations in the Atlantic Ocean. My current work investigates how the intactness of mammal communities and the decline of mammal abundance impact human health in low- to middle-income countries. Email: [email protected] Education: Postdoctoral Fellow, Spatial Ecology, CEFE-CNRS (2023 - 2024) Ph.D., Conservation Ecology, University of Lyon 1 (2023) M.S., Ecology, Ecophysiology, Behavior; University of Strasbourg (2019) M.S., Agronomy, University of Lorraine (2018) |
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Hyun Seok Yoon, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Institute for Global Change Biology, where I work with Drs. Neil Carter, Kai Zhu, and Thiago Gonçalves-Souza. My research interests center on conservation decision science, ecological modeling, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on developing quantitative tools to guide biodiversity conservation and natural resource management under global change. Specifically, for my research as a fellow, I am using risk-sensitive portfolio approaches with reinforcement learning models to study how conservation investments can be dynamically allocated across space and time while accounting for ecological and economic uncertainty. Email: [email protected] Education: Ph.D.; University of Tennessee, Knoxville B.S.; Cornell University Website: https://hyunseoky9.github.io/ |
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Amy Zuckerwise, PhD Candidate
Resource Ecology & Management I am a wildlife scientist interested in the ecology and conservation of felids within socio-ecological systems. My dissertation focuses on the impacts of road development on Bengal tigers in the Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal. I plan to utilize research methods from both ecology and social science, from satellite tracking of tiger movement and spatial modeling to participatory study design and holistic system analysis. My research aims to contribute strategies to mitigate the impacts of development on wildlife as well as promote the role of indigenous and local partnerships in effective and equitable conservation. Email: [email protected] Education: Master of Environmental Science; Yale University (2020) B.S., Biology; Stanford University (2015) |
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Anna Yue Yu (she/her), PhD Student
Resource Ecology & Management My goal as a conservation researcher is to take interdisciplinary, solution-based approaches to inform human-wildlife coexistence on complex, shared landscapes. My dissertation research will focus on the coexistence between Tibetan herders and large carnivores, particularly the snow leopards, wolves, and Tibetan brown bears, in the Sanjiangyuan region of China. I seek to utilize methods from wildlife ecology, social sciences, and geospatial modeling to investigate community-based conservation practices, and contribute to the broader discussion on sustainable and equitable human-nature relationships through the lens of the unique socio-ecological system on the Tibetan Plateau. Email: [email protected] Education: M.E.M., Ecosystem Management and Conservation; Yale University (2022) B.A., Environmental Computation; Colby College (2019) |
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Jason Hagani, PhD Student
Resource Ecology & Management I am a spatial ecologist whose work focuses on the intersection between animal movements and anthropogenic activity. I employ remote sensing, statistical modeling, and field-based methods to better understand the mechanisms driving these human-wildlife interactions. My dissertation research will broadly focus on the effects of wildfire on the movements of wildlife – particularly gray wolves – in the Upper Peninsula in collaboration with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. I aim to use an interdisciplinary approach to examine complex conservation issues, combining social and ecological sciences to promote coexistence between people and animals. Email: [email protected] Education: M.A. Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology; Columbia University (2021) B.A. Earth and Environmental Sciences; Columbia University (2019) |
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Samantha Hamilton, PhD Student
Environment & Sustainability I am an interdisciplinary wildlife researcher interested in the conservation of marine apex predators, namely sea otters (Enhydra lutris). I apply a suite of field-based methods to examine food web dynamics and human-wildlife interactions within coastal social-ecological systems. My research is expected to help form the scientific basis for management decisions and policies that further sea otter recovery throughout the species’ range. Email: [email protected] Education: M.S., Environmental Sciences and Policy; Johns Hopkins University (2023) M.L.I.S., San Jose State University (2021) B.S., Biology; University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2019) B.S., Political Science; Arizona State University (2017) B.A., History; Arizona State University (2017) |
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Jincheng Yao (he/him), MSc Student
Geospatial Data Science & Ecosystem Science and Management I am interested in using geospatial technology to study landscape changes and how these changes influence human–wildlife conflict. My thesis research will focus on the savanna boundaries shift over the past several decades using remote sensing image, and modeling the dynamics by integrating climatic, ecological, and social factors. The project aims to develop a predictive framework for future boundary shifts and indicate the wildlife habitat changes and human-wildlife conflict zone. Email: [email protected] Education: B.S. Agricultural Resource and Environment; Zhejiang University (2025) |
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Shiyang Du (she/her), MSc Student
Ecosystem Science and Management I am interested in wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence. My proposed thesis focuses on the impacts of South American agroforestry systems on large cat species, especially jaguars. I plan to use a systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines to analyze existing research findings and to investigate the ecological and social mechanisms that may shape these results. My research aims to identify major research gaps and better understand the role of agroforestry in large cat conservation. Email: [email protected] Education: B.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine |
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Ramya Subramanian (she/her), MSc Student
Geospatial Data Science & Ecosystem Science and Management I am interested in exploring how extreme climatic events impact species movement. My thesis will analyze the impact of Kenya’s extreme droughts on the movement behavior of giraffe populations using remotely sensed imagery and telemetry data. My research aims to contribute strategies to guide giraffe habitat management in Kenya and study the role of drought for commonly water-independent species. Email: [email protected] Education: B.S. Environmental Science & Policy; University of South Florida (2025) B.S. Information Science; University of South Florida (2025) |
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Graduates
2026 - Lisa Vaiman, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Reforming Michigan's Stance on Bats.
2025 - Vatsal Parikh, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Modeling conflicts with leopards, rhesus macaques, and bears against a landscape of agrarian transitions in Himachal Pradesh, India.
2024 - Carly Thompson, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
The human-wildlife interface: a case study of bobcat & coyote conflict in California
2024 - Fang Chen, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Impact of injuries caused by snare traps on the space use of endangered Asiatic black bears in Taiwan
2024 - Adrienne Calistri-Yeh, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Impact of human activity on large mammal spatial ecology in Homer, Alaska
2023 - Kirby Mills, PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (UM EEB)
Apex predators in the Anthropocene: African large carnivore ecology at the human-wildlife interface
2023 - Tara Easter, PhD in Resource Ecology & Management (UM SEAS)
Social and policy dimensions of freshwater turtle trade in the US
2023 - Ella Hartshorn, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
A critical assessment of conservation outcomes in indigenous peoples’ lands and protected areas
2023 - Madeline Standen, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
When and where will I find my next meal?: Quantifying the effects of spatiotemporal forage predictability on ungulate movement behaviors in two disparate ecosystems
2022 - Rachel Darling, MS in Ecosystem Science and Management (UM SEAS)
Assessing the relationship between anthropogenic night light, noise, and avian provisioning of ecosystem services
2022 - Ethan Hiltner, MS in Geospatial Data Science (UM SEAS)
Changing snow conditions and shifts in American Marten (Martes americana) occurrence in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
2022 - Kaitlyn Frank, MS in Geospatial Data Science (UM SEAS)
Landscape predictors of mule deer road crossing behavior in the American Southwest
2021 - Alexander Killion, PhD in Resource Ecology & Management (UM SEAS)
Coexisting with wildlife in shared landscapes: an interdisciplinary assessment to inform conservation
2021 - Edward Leal Trout, MS in Biology (Boise State)
Corridors for coexistence: evaluating spatiotemporal impacts of livestock on wildlife community dynamics
2020 - Natalie Madden, MS in Conservation Ecology (UM SEAS)
How traits affect bird responses to anthropogenic noise - a meta-analysis
2019 - Abigail Sage, MS in Biology (Boise State)
Integrating social dimensions into spatial connectivity planning for grizzly bears
2018 - Tara Easter, MS in Biology (Boise State)
Quantifying mammalian interactions and distributions to inform conservation planning in Mozambique
Reforming Michigan's Stance on Bats.
2025 - Vatsal Parikh, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Modeling conflicts with leopards, rhesus macaques, and bears against a landscape of agrarian transitions in Himachal Pradesh, India.
2024 - Carly Thompson, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
The human-wildlife interface: a case study of bobcat & coyote conflict in California
2024 - Fang Chen, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Impact of injuries caused by snare traps on the space use of endangered Asiatic black bears in Taiwan
2024 - Adrienne Calistri-Yeh, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
Impact of human activity on large mammal spatial ecology in Homer, Alaska
2023 - Kirby Mills, PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (UM EEB)
Apex predators in the Anthropocene: African large carnivore ecology at the human-wildlife interface
2023 - Tara Easter, PhD in Resource Ecology & Management (UM SEAS)
Social and policy dimensions of freshwater turtle trade in the US
2023 - Ella Hartshorn, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
A critical assessment of conservation outcomes in indigenous peoples’ lands and protected areas
2023 - Madeline Standen, MS in Environment and Sustainability (UM SEAS)
When and where will I find my next meal?: Quantifying the effects of spatiotemporal forage predictability on ungulate movement behaviors in two disparate ecosystems
2022 - Rachel Darling, MS in Ecosystem Science and Management (UM SEAS)
Assessing the relationship between anthropogenic night light, noise, and avian provisioning of ecosystem services
2022 - Ethan Hiltner, MS in Geospatial Data Science (UM SEAS)
Changing snow conditions and shifts in American Marten (Martes americana) occurrence in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
2022 - Kaitlyn Frank, MS in Geospatial Data Science (UM SEAS)
Landscape predictors of mule deer road crossing behavior in the American Southwest
2021 - Alexander Killion, PhD in Resource Ecology & Management (UM SEAS)
Coexisting with wildlife in shared landscapes: an interdisciplinary assessment to inform conservation
2021 - Edward Leal Trout, MS in Biology (Boise State)
Corridors for coexistence: evaluating spatiotemporal impacts of livestock on wildlife community dynamics
2020 - Natalie Madden, MS in Conservation Ecology (UM SEAS)
How traits affect bird responses to anthropogenic noise - a meta-analysis
2019 - Abigail Sage, MS in Biology (Boise State)
Integrating social dimensions into spatial connectivity planning for grizzly bears
2018 - Tara Easter, MS in Biology (Boise State)
Quantifying mammalian interactions and distributions to inform conservation planning in Mozambique
Former Group Members
Dr. Kirby Mills, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2023-2025)
Dr. Deqiang Ma, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2022-2024)
Dr. Martin Leclerc, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2022-2023)
Dr. Leandra Merz, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2022-2023)
Dr. Evan Wilson, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2021-2023)
Dr. Mark Ditmer, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2018-2020)
Dr. Michael J Poulos, Postdoctoral Researcher, Boise State (2016-2017)
Dr. Rose Graves, Postdoctoral Researcher, Boise State (2017-2018)
Udaya Jayawardhana, MSc, Research Assistant, Boise State (2016-2018)
Sarah Coose, B.S. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2019)
Jessica Mueller, B.S. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2018)
Anna Roser, Postbaccalaureate Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2018)
Javier Luna, B.A. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2017)
Julie Ramirez, B.S. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2017-2019)
Dr. Deqiang Ma, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2022-2024)
Dr. Martin Leclerc, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2022-2023)
Dr. Leandra Merz, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2022-2023)
Dr. Evan Wilson, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2021-2023)
Dr. Mark Ditmer, Postdoctoral Researcher, UM-SEAS (2018-2020)
Dr. Michael J Poulos, Postdoctoral Researcher, Boise State (2016-2017)
Dr. Rose Graves, Postdoctoral Researcher, Boise State (2017-2018)
Udaya Jayawardhana, MSc, Research Assistant, Boise State (2016-2018)
Sarah Coose, B.S. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2019)
Jessica Mueller, B.S. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2018)
Anna Roser, Postbaccalaureate Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2018)
Javier Luna, B.A. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2017)
Julie Ramirez, B.S. Student, Research Assistant, Boise State (2017-2019)
