People

Jesse Barber
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Jesse Barber’s Website
Jesse studies behavioral, evolutionary and conservation-related questions by employing bioacoustic and videographic techniques to quantify how animals process sensory input and act on the resulting information.

Lisa Brady
Professor, Department of History
208.426.4309 | lisabrady@boisestate.edu  | Lisa Brady’s Website
Lisa studies the history of war and the environment. Her work explores how war impacts landscapes and landscapes impact war.

Brittany Brand
Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences
brittanybrand@boisestate.edu  | Brittany Brand’s Website
Brittany works to bridge the gap between science and society in the field of natural hazards and risk through research, outreach, and education.

Rebecca Castellano
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
208-426-3418 | rsomcastellano@boisestate.edu | Rebecca Castellano’s Website
Our research group is interested in examining stratification, sustainability, and social action in the changing agriculture and food system.

Trevor Caughlin
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
trevorcaughlin@boisestate.edu  | Trevor Caughlin’s Website
Trevor is interested in seed dispersal, ecological restoration and landowner decision-making.

Cynthia Curl
Assistant Professor, Department of Community and Environmental Health
(208) 426-3924 | CynthiaCurl@boisestate.edu | Cynthia Curl’s Website

Dr. Curl’s research focuses on the intersection between agriculture and human health, and her primary interests are in assessing human exposure to agricultural pesticides and improving health and safety in agricultural workplaces. Dr. Curl founded and directs Boise State’s Agricultural Health Lab. Current projects in her lab include a randomized intervention to assess the effect of an organic diet on pesticide exposure during pregnancy; an investigation into crop uptake of inorganic bromide following field fumigation with methyl bromide; and a collaboration with the Washington and Idaho Potato Commissions to improve worker health and safety during Northwest potato production.

Marie-Anne de Graaff
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Marie-AnnedeGraaff@boisestate.edu

Our lab studies how changes in climate and land-use affect ecosystem processes that drive the global carbon cycle. We are especially interested in the question of how plant roots and soil microorganisms interact to affect soil carbon and nutrient dynamics.

Kathryn Demps
Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology
(208) 426-4690 | kathryndemps@boisestate.edu

Kathryn is interested in how knowledge and behavior interact with local ecologies and examines the conflict of interest between formal schooling and knowledge about the forest, economic pressures and marketing behavior, and group formation and cooperation.

Kevin Feris
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
kevinferis@boisestate.edu | Kevin Feris’s Website

My research program strives to understand how microbial communities respond to anthropogenic influences on natural ecosystems, including changes in climate, presence of chronic ecosystem stressors, and emerging pollutants.

Jennifer Forbey
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
jenniferforbey@boisestate.edu | Jennifer Forbey’s Website

Jen’s research focuses on plant-herbivore interactions employing a combination of field and laboratory approaches to understand the links between the phenology and chemistry of plant and  the behavior, physiology and population dynamics of vertebrate herbivores.

Michail Fragkias
Associate Professor, Department of Economics
michailfragkias@boisestate.edu | Michail Fragkias’s Website

Michail is an applied economist and interdisciplinary social scientist working on issues of urbanization, land use and the environment.

John Gardner
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering
jgardner@boisestate.edu | John Gardner’s Website

John’s research and teaching focuses on the integration and control of energy systems.

Julie Heath
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
208-426-3208 | julieheath@boisestate.edu | Julie Heath’s Website

Dr. Heath addresses questions about how birds respond to environmental change. She uses physiological and behavioral ecology approaches to understand  mechanisms underlying responses at the individual-level, and population ecology and modeling to understand impacts on populations.  Most of Dr. Heath’s research focuses on avian reproduction or migration, and current studies are designed to explore effects of global change across the full annual cycle. Studies that increase understanding about the links between environmental conditions, physiological or behavioral responses, and impacts on survival and reproduction inform wildlife management and aid in biodiversity conservation in a rapidly changing world.

Kendra Kaiser
Associate Research Faculty
kendrakaiser@boisestate.edu | Kendra Kaiser’s Website

Dr. Kaiser is a watershed hydrologist interested in landscape ecology, remote sensing, and coupling of field and modeling techniques to examine social – ecological systems.

Eric Lindquist
Professor, School of Public Service
ericlindquist@boisestate.edu | Eric Lindquist’s Website

Eric’s research interests are in public policy and decision processes, agenda setting, earth systems governance.

Mojtaba Sadegh
Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering
mojtabasadegh@boisestate.edu | Mojtaba Sadegh’s Website

Mojtaba uses a variety of modeling and simulation tools in the field of water resource management and stakeholder engagement.

Jen Schneider
Associate Professor & Director, Department of Public Policy and Administration
208-426-2514 | jenschneider@boisestate.edu | Jen Schneider’s Website

Jen is interested in addressing challenges in the public communication of scientific and environmental controversies, with a particular focus on industry rhetoric and discourses of technical expertise.

Bastian Thomsen
Assistant Professor of International Business & Entrepreneurship, Department of Management
bastianthomsen@boisestate.edu | (208) 426-2633  | Website

Bastian’s interdisciplinary research focuses on applying a socio-ecological systems approach to address conflict between humans and large carnivores (and between human stakeholder groups), along with a social entrepreneurship lens to consider wildlife ecotourism and rewilding as an alternative economic model to explore the potential of a multi-species livelihoods framework for human-wildlife coexistence.

Emily Wakild
Professor, Department of History
208-426-3529 | emilywakild@boisestate.edu | Emily Wakild’s Website

Dr. Wakild’s research examines the origins of biodiversity as a concept and its on-the-ground applications through conservation biology, the politics of parks, and the social and ecological implications of conservation, mainly in Latin America. She specializes in the collection and analysis of social data from textual, oral, and ethnographic sources and the application of this data to past and present issues of land use and conservation.

Pei-Lin Yu
Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology
pei-linyu@boisestate.edu | Pei-Lin Yu’s Website”>Website

Pei-Lin’s research is in cultural heritage resources, human response to climate change, archaeology, paleoclimates, public lands law and policy, indigenous consultation, and traditional/local ecological knowledge as resiliency to climate change and other stressors.

Lejo Flores
Professor, Geosciences, Boise State University
Lejo Flores’s Website

Dr. Flores is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences who collaborates with HES faculty.

Anand Roopsind
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
anandroopsind@boisestate.edu 

I’m a forester at heart and training, with an emphasis on applied research to identify technical prescriptions and policies to improve forest management that has positive outcomes for people, biodiversity and ecosystems provided by forests.

Clara Buchholtz
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

ClaraBuchholtz@u.boisestate.edu

Clara is advised by Dr. Kelly Hopping.

Matt Clark
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
Matthewclark989@boisestate.edu

Matt seeks to understand why protected areas succeed or fail long-term. Matt specifically examines how social dynamics affect conservation efficacy and resource equity for local populations. This research takes a quantitative, multi-model approach and includes methods such as hierarchical linear modeling, network analysis, machine learning, & monte carlo estimation. Matt also enjoys mentoring undergraduate students on independent or semi-independent research projects. Any interested students should feel free to reach out. He is advised by Dr. Vicken Hillis. More about Matt. 

Sarah Halperin
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
SarahHalperin@u.boisestate.edu

Sarah examines questions related to large-scale conservation of socioecological systems. She develops tools for local stakeholders and the public to make informed policy decisions regarding farmland preservation. She is advised by Dr. Jodi Brandt.

Lauren Hunt
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
laurenhunt@u.boisestate.edu

Lauren investigates how social systems shift in the context of climate change and how individuals and the environment intersect. Agriculture is the primary lens through which she views this intersection, but the current economic, political, and cultural climate also structures her work. Lauren is advised by Dr. Vicken Hillis.

Louis Jochems
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
louisjochems@u.boisestate.edu

Louis is interested in utilizing data from remotely sensed imagery, field observations, and human activity to predict the spread of invasive plant species throughout wetlands in the Great Lakes region. Ultimately, he hopes to incorporate this information into a decision support tool for land managers to better protect vulnerable wetlands. Louis is advised by Dr. Jodi Brandt.

Nick Kolarik
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
NicholasKolarik@u.boisestate.edu

Nick’s focus is on using remote sensing techniques to evaluate human-environment interactions. Land systems often have measurable effects on the landscape key to issues surrounding resource use, human welfare, and conservation efforts. He aims to contribute to interdisciplinary research that helps guide decision-making at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Nick is advised by Dr. Jodi Brandt.

Molly Levy
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
MollyLevy@u.boisestate.edu

Molly is interested in the social dynamics that influence the management of socio-ecological systems over space and time. She is particularly interested in the processes of collaboration and conflict, and how these processes are impacted by ecological disturbance. Molly is advised by Dr. Vicken Hillis.

Haley Netherton
Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
HaleyNetherton@u.boisestate.edu

Haley focuses on the application of social science theory to natural resource issues. Specifically, she currently seeks to understand public perceptions of landscapes and wildlife, how and why they differ, and their role in natural resource management. Haley is advised by Dr. Kelly Hopping.

Tara Pozzi
MS Biology student
tarapozzi@u.boisestate.edu

Tara focuses her work on the human dimension side of natural disaster management; specifically through the use of theoretical frameworks from social science to understand the factors that influence decision-makers to create more resilient communities. Tara often thinks about the culture surrounding disaster preparedness and the measures organizations take to adapt to the changing environmental challenges that make communities vulnerable. Tara loves talking about these research areas and finding others who are also interested, so feel free to reach out!

Callie Puntenney
MS Biology student
calliepuntenney@u.boisestate.edu

Callie researches the structure and dynamics of human social and infrastructural systems and the environment within which they operate. Through considerations of policy, history, livelihoods, and phenology, she hopes to inform collaborative management approaches that support sustainable, thriving ecosystems. Callie is advised by Dr. Kelly Hopping.

Edward Trout
MS Biology student
edwardtrout@boisestate.edu

Edward is interested in engaging with the challenges encountered in human-wildlife interfaces. His research aims to leverage ecological analyses joined with collaboration of local stakeholders to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife. He is co-advised by Dr. Kelly Hopping and Dr. Neil Carter (University of Michigan).