Thesis Topic: Road crossing behavior of Roosevelt elk on the North Coast of California

Advisor: Dr. Micaela Szykman Gunther

Undergraduate Degree/Institution: Environmental Sciences, University of Notre Dame

I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a passion for animals and spending time outdoors since I was a kid. In a research class in high school, I experienced my first season of field work conducting small mammal trapping for woodland jumping mice in Northern Michigan; this experience inspired my goal to pursue a career in wildlife. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Notre Dame, I sought out internship and research opportunities working with prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets in Arizona, camera trapping on the UW Predator-Prey Project in Washington, and researching green sea turtles on Maui for my senior capstone project. After graduating, I worked for the National Wildlife Federation on large-scale wildlife conservation and climate change projects and initiatives. A subsequent position on the Tahoe National Forest working with yellow-legged frogs, California spotted owls, Northern goshawks, and bats finally brought me to California, and I set out to pursue a master’s degree at Humboldt at the end of the season. My research interests include wildlife behavioral ecology—especially in relation to anthropogenic impacts—and the direct application of these studies to management and conservation decisions. My thesis will focus on the road crossing behavior of elk on the North Coast of California and I am assisting on a project testing an Electronic Detection System on Highway 101 to alert drivers of elk crossing the road. This is a collaborative project with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Caltrans, along with tech company Lotek. In my free time, I enjoy backpacking, painting wildlife artwork, kayaking, and reading!