Hannah Leonard, M.S. Candidate, Resource Conservation

Hannah joined the Lab in the Fall of 2018 after completed her B.S. in business administration with a focus in marketing in 2015 from the University of Montana. Her research combines her expertise in business and her passion for natural resource conservation by using marketing methods and theories to understand conservation-related behaviors and to elicit behavior change. Hannah was selected to be one of the inaugural fellows with the National Forest Foundation in 2018 where she gained first-hand experience working with collaborative groups and decision-making on our National Forests. In her free time, she enjoys hiking into alpine lakes with her dog Cedar and fly-fishing.

Peter Metcalf, PhD candidate, Forest and Conservation Sciences

Peter Metcalf (no relation) is a Ph.D. student in Forestry and Conservation.  His research interests focus on the human dimensions of wildlife management, ecological restoration, public lands management and river conservation with the aim to find socially viable solutions to natural resource issues.  He has TA’d for the Wilderness and Civilization Program and teaches for the Wild Rockies Field Institute.  Metcalf grew up in western Oregon and earned a B.A. in English Literature from Whitworth College.  After graduation he moved to Montana to guide backpacking trips in and around the Bob Marshall Wilderness for a summer and never looked back. His love for wild places later led him to work as a whitewater river guide, first in Alaska and then in Montana and Idaho. Along the way he took time to earn an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana, work as a journalist and to teach college field courses in Montana and Central America.  Prior to joining the Metcalf Human Dimensions Lab, Peter worked most recently as the Operations Manager for ROW Adventures, Idaho’s largest family-owned adventure travel company. When he’s not researching, teaching or writing about the American West, he enjoys running, telemark skiing, boating, fly fishing, hunting, birding, reading and following the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.

Lily Jane Clarke, M.S. Candidate, Systems Ecology

Lily’s research in the Lab focuses on how human communities retain and cultivate resilience to wildfire in the Western United States. Lily grew up in Swan Valley, Montana, where frequent local wildfires and a surprising diversity of beliefs in a town of 310 made wildfire a catalyst for community conversation. These experiences encouraged a deep interest in the dynamic relationship between communities and wildfire, and while pursuing her Bachelor’s degree at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, she conducted wildfire ecology research for The Wilderness Society, the Smithsonian Institute and Harvard Forest. Wanting to build upon the questions of “how do landscapes recover from wildfire?”, she conducted an independent study on how post-fire morel mushrooms may support this recovery. After graduating with honors in biology, she went on to further pursue this question as a guest scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany. She then had a Fulbright Research Scholarship in Nepal, where she studied how wild and cultivated fungi support livelihoods across Nepal’s steep elevational gradient. Her diverse research background along with her upbringing in rural Western Montana and experience as a federal wildland firefighter make her hungry to further explore the human dimension of wildfire.

Chelsea Phillippe, M.S. Candidate, Resource Conservation

Chelsea Phillippe began her pursuit of an M.S. in Resource Conservation at the University of Montana Human Dimensions Lab in the spring of 2018.  Her research investigates how wildland recreation trends and impacts are influenced by education programs such as Leave No Trace. She graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.S. in environmental studies (ecology focus) and a minor in anthropology (clearly an early pioneer of social-ecological systems perspectives). After earning her bachelor’s degree, the desert canyons of Utah pulled Chelsea west where she explored Wild and Scenic rivers as a whitewater raft guide and desert towers as a rock climbing guide. Her passion for public lands inspired her to move to the mountains to serve as a wilderness ranger for the US Forest Service in Idaho and Wyoming. Chelsea enjoys exploring new places, meeting new people and cheering for the Nebraska Cornhuskers (which we choose to forgive).

Lily Lang, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Lily Lang is a senior earning her B.S. in resource conservation with a minor is fire sciences and management and a certificate in geographic information systems. Born and raised in Darby, Montana, Lily loves being outside hunting, fishing, snowboarding, horseback riding and backpacking. Studying resource conservation has allowed Lily to take a hands-on approach to her education, expanding her love and understanding of Western Montana. Lily helped conduct prescribed fires in Georgia, studied the landscapes and livelihoods of the Swan Valley, Montana, and has spent her summers as a wildland firefighter, gaining valuable experience that will help her land a career in wildfire management. Lily’s interests have expanded while at UM, and she is now directing her coursework to help her better understand how people’s lives and decisions are intertwined with natural resources. Lily’s senior thesis research for the Davidson’s Honor’s College will focus on helping the Lab facilitate community discussions to help people and communities better “bounce forward” after severe wildfire events.

Dan Pendergraph, M.S. Resource Conservation

Dan began his graduate studies in the fall of 2017, after finishing his B.S. in resource conservation in fall 2016. Throughout his undergrad, Dan was involved with the Wilderness Institute as part of a variety of projects in BLM and USFS Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) of Montana where he monitored anthropogenic impacts on the landscape. From the high peaks of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness (ABW) to the rugged canyons of the Terry Badlands WSA, Dan has had the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of ecosystems. Dan's interest include aquatic ecology, microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, botany and anthropogenic impacts to water resources. For his master's thesis, Dan is investigating the occurrence and sources of fecal contamination in the ABW utilizing microbial source tracking via qPCR. Dan takes “human dimensions” quite literally. When he's not thinking of how fecal matter moves about the ecosystem, Dan enjoys fishing, hunting, foraging, splitboarding and being above treeline.

Conor Phelan, M.S. Resource Conservation, ICD option

Conor Phelan began to pursue an M.S. in Resource Conservation at the University of Montana in the Fall of 2016. Conor's research is focused on combining geospatial technologies with big consumer data to create efficiencies in environmentally-related outreach efforts. Previously, he attended the University of Richmond, VA where he graduated with a B.S. in Biology and Geography in 2013. Following graduation Conor spent a summer as an SCA intern with the National Park Service in the Alaskan interior before heading off to the Chesapeake Conservancy for 3 years where he worked in the GIS lab applying advanced geospatial and remote sensing analysis techniques to the many conservation issues plaguing the Chesapeake Bay watershed. When not working on maps in an official capacity, Conor can be found poring over them while planning some sort of mountain bike, backcountry ski, backpacking, kayak or trail running adventure.

Alice Lubeck, M.S. Resource Conservation

Alice Lubeck came to the University of Montana in the Fall of 2016 to pursue an M.S. in Resource Conservation. Her research focuses on collective action among private landowners in Montana, and specifically what cross-boundary variables are considered as landowners to decide whether or not to manage invasive plants. She graduated from Oberlin College in 2014 with a B.A. in Geology and a minor in Environmental Studies. Since then, Alice has roamed the West doing environmental education in Custer State Park and Teton Science Schools in Jackson, WY. She has also lead backpacking trips with the Y out of Seattle, and was the Assistant Director for the Seattle Country Day School after-school program. In her free time Alice enjoys going on long runs, playing Boggle, and cooking nice meals while listening to Beyoncé. 

Julius Metcalf, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Julius Metcalf has been a student at the University of Montana since 2013. Originally from Wisconsin, Julius has a passion for all things “living.” Whether it swims in the water, flies through the air, or walks on land Julius wants to know about it. With a natural love for animals and nature Julius came to the U of M to pursue a degree in Wildlife Biology. Possessing a talent for reading and writing he hopes to one day be a professor, so as to pass his knowledge of the natural world on to future generations. Julius is currently conduction an undergraduate research project investigating potential shifts in wildlife value orientation across generations. Last summer Julius was a volunteer intern at the Montana Natural History Center. When not studying Julius can be found birding, doing archery, playing with his dog, Sirius, or reading. He often manages to do two at the same time.

Zach Miller, PhD student

Zach received his PhD in 2017. His dissertation was “Day hikers and bear safety: An elaboration perspective on education in Yellowstone National Park.” Zach grew up in Northern California and spent his early youth exploring the wilderness and foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He has taught environmental education for a variety of audiences, lead backpacking and kayaking trips, and worked as a resource manager on ecological reserves. He earned a B.S. in Natural Resource Management and Policy from California State University, Chico. Afterwards, he decided to branch out and gain new perspectives on the human-nature relationship by moving to South Carolina where he completed a M.S. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University. After living in both the Sierra Nevada and Appalachian Mountains, he decided it was time to explore the Rocky Mountains and moved to Missoula, MT. Currently, Zach is working on a project that is looking at human-wildlife interactions in Yellowstone National Park for his dissertation research. When not working, Zach enjoys hiking, backpacking, birding, and fly fishing. 

Fred Lauer, M.S. student

Fred Lauer graduated in 2017 with an M.S. degree in Systems Ecology. Fred was born in El Paso, Texas, but spent most of his life in Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison, graduating with a B.A. in Japanese and Asian Studies. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Chiba, Japan where he taught English, independently studied environmental sustainability, and met his wife. Fred’s research interests are partially the products of key events during his life abroad; volunteering to clean up tsunami-stricken homes revealed to him the fragility of human systems when they ignore natural, ecological boundaries. He found the most unstable systems were those dependent on far away sources of food, water, or energy; resilient communities had long established and lasting social ecological landscapes. These landscapes proved to be invaluable examples of how a systems approach to management can be beneficial to both biodiversity and human livelihoods. Fred came to Montana especially interested in multi-stakeholder collaborative natural resource projects that address human dimensions in relation to landscapes, forest ecosystems, and agriculture. His interests are broad and include landscape ecology, agroecology, agroforestry, and geospatial technologies. When Fred is not studying the intersect between natural and human systems, he challenges the frontiers of his experience in the great outdoors, especially with long cycling tours and multi-day hiking trips in the mountains surrounded by nature where he is happiest!

Lara Brenner, M.S. student

Lara Brenner came to the University of Montana in the Fall of 2015 to pursue her M.S. in Wildlife Biology. Her research interests focus on urban conservation, wildlife adaptations to anthropogenic changes, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict. Lara graduated from Carleton College in 2013 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, an interdisciplinary program that focused on environmental policy, ethics, science and history. After graduation, Lara worked as a research assistant studying plague in prairie dogs and other rodents in the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge, became a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and wrote policy recommendations and articles for the Sierra Club. In her spare time, she goes hiking, reads almost anything, pets other peoples dogs, writes sketches and grows tiny, inedible vegetables.

Reid Hensen, undergraduate research assistant

Reid was an undergraduate student studying psychology, minoring in business, and working to understand how people interact with their environments and what psychological impacts that may have. Reid has been working on his is undergraduate thesis looking at the self-efficacy and resilience of students who participate in wilderness orientation programs. Reid has also been involved in projects mapping access to natural spaces and mental health at an aggregate level. An avid backcountry skier and mountain biker, Reid loves the research world, but only when paired with getting outside and exploring. Reid is heavily involved in the honors college and is constantly looking for ways to apply knowledge gained in the lab or classroom to the real world. During the summers, Reid enjoys getting outside the classroom and working the land on ranches around the rocky mountain west. He looks forward to continuing in researching human-environment interactions after completing his undergraduate degree in the fall of 2017. 

Ryan Barr, undergraduate student researcher

Ryan grew up in San Diego, but hasn't called it home in a very long time. He's been traveling around the western world searching for wilderness and adventure since he could crawl. The Air Force dropped him in Montana a few years back where he worked as airborne search and rescue, but spent his weekends on foot venturing about in Glacier National Park. When his enlistment was up he moved over to Missoula to pursue a degree in Parks, Tourism and Recreation Management with a minor in Business. He came to the Human Dimensions Lab hoping to learn the skills necessary to pursue his interest in wisely blending technology and recreation, specifically how people discover new friends to pursue new adventures. In winter you can find Ryan by following his splitboard tracks through the snow up the alpine peaks. In summer you'll probably find no trace as he disappears off trail into the Montana wilderness.

Brian Battaglia, Spatial analysis research associate

My academic background is in Geography and I’m broadly interested in spatial technologies, human-environmental interactions, and the impacts of recreation and tourism.  During my time as a graduate research assistant at the University of Montana, I investigated bicycle mobility in Glacier National Park to help better inform park managers in their transportation planning efforts and decision making. During my free time I enjoy spending time with my wife, bicycling around Missoula, and exploring the wild spaces of Western Montana.

Devin Landry, M.S. Wildlife Biology

Devin received an M.S. in Wildlife Biology in 2016 for researching the impacts of recreational, backcountry aviation on the physiological stress response in deer and elk. In addition to the biological component of his project, Devin conducted a survey of recreational pilots in order to get a sense of their wildlife values and attitudes, as well as other aspects of their recreational experience. He is generally interested in how recreation and other human activities impact wildlife stress levels, how wildlife cope physiologically and behaviorally with human-related disturbance, and the ways in which outdoor recreation intersects with conservation both at the personal and societal level. 

Devin is a native New Yorker and received a B.A. from Skidmore College in Religion and English Literature. He still likes to pretend he has the free time to read fiction and poetry. Before starting his Master's in Wildlife Bio, Devin worked with horses and at a small animal vet clinic. While not getting flown into the magnificent backcountry airstrips of Montana and Idaho, Devin likes getting out into the hills around Missoula, horseback riding, and going to music shows around town.

Ellie Rial, M.S. Resource Conservation

Ellie moved to Montana from the Midwest in 2009 to complete a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies. While pursuing her undergrad degree she fell in love with Montana (as does everyone who comes here!) and developed a passion for living in this incredible place. After graduating, she was hired as the Education Coordinator at the Clark Fork Coalition where she put her passion for this place to good use. For her master's thesis she examined environmental values of rural landowners with the larger goal of more efficiently navigating conservation agencies and landowner collaboration efforts. Her non-academic interests involve spending time outdoors with her husband and two dogs, and pursuing her newest hobby: duck hunting.

Jessica Brown - undergraduate student researcher

Jessica Brown grew up in Tennessee, but soon found her way out West. In spring 2015, she received a B.S. in Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management and a B.S. in Resource Conservation with a minor in Wilderness Studies. As part of her Senior Honors Research Project, she worked with the Human Dimensions Lab to study visitor experiences and satisfaction with the BLM at the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. She is particularly interested in the relationships between humans and their environment, and how place attachment can inform management decision-making. During her time in Montana, Jessica has trekked the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness as a ranger, studied rivers as an AmeriCorps member, and assisted in policy and planning at the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. She enjoys taking her border collie, Tsuga, for hikes and learning new bird calls.

Ben Enseleit - undergraduate student researcher

Ben grew up in Great Falls, Montana, and spent his upbringing exploring the state’s amazing natural resources. After being drawn to the University of Montana for the pharmacy school, he soon realized the outdoors were his true passion and is now pursuing a B.S. in Recreation Management with a minor in Ecological Restoration. Ben worked on a research project for his Ecological Restoration Capstone course to assess potential recreation development on Five Valleys Land Trust’s Rock Creek Confluence property and provide a comprehensive report to help guide future decisions. He has particular interest in how restoring natural resources and developing outdoor recreation opportunities for the public can work hand-in-hand to achieve greater goals and provide benefits to both the environment and society. Ben has worked in Big Sky, Montana, as a community recreation coordinator intern and was secretary for the Montana Trails Recreation & Park Association Student Chapter.  When not hitting the books, you can find Ben in the mountains on his bike, Beyoncé, enjoying the endless trails around Missoula.

Mary Sketch

Mary Sketch is a senior concentrating in Environmental Studies at Brown University with a focus in law and policy. She is particularly interested in natural resource management and policy. During the summer of 2014 she is working with the Metcalf Human Dimensions Lab on several projects including a detailed analysis of attendance data and an assessment of media coverage for the Southwestern Crown Collaborative. Mary received a Brown University LINK Award for her summer research at the University of Montana. Mary hopes to gain more environmental advocacy experience after graduating from Brown and before applying to environmental law schools. She has enjoyed spending time in Montana hiking, biking, exploring Missoula, and looking at natural resource management through a variety of lenses. 

Dr. Libby Khumalo

Dr. Libby Khumalo was a post-doctoral scholar with the Human Dimensions Lab. She is an environmental social scientist specializing in community-based natural resource management, international development, gender, empowerment, and human-wildlife interactions. Focusing on applied research, she strives to collaborate with community members, fellow researchers, non-governmental organization representatives, and state and federal agency managers to enhance conservation and sustainable development initiatives. She is passionate about engaging students in critical and sincere debate about environment and development dilemmas and she uses her research experiences from Ireland, South Africa, Namibia, and Montana to enhance learning opportunities. Prior to university-level teaching and research, she worked as an environmental educator and park ranger. Her hobbies include hiking, camping, backpacking, reading, gardening, dance, travel, sewing, and skiing.

Bridget Tinsley - M.S. Resource Conservation

In the Metcalf Human Dimensions Lab, Bridget helped to design a socio-economic monitoring survey to evaluate the Collaborative Forest Lands Restoration Program in the Southwestern Crown Collaborative. In 2010, Bridget received a B.S. from Washington State University in Botany. Months later she moved to Missoula to begin her graduate work at the University of Montana. From 2011-2013 Bridget served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia in conjunction with her graduate work for the University’s International Conservation and Development Program. While abroad she researched Afromontane bamboo and its contribution to rural livelihoods. Additionally, she was involved with youth development, tree nursery establishment and women’s income generation projects during her time in Ethiopia. When not in school, Bridget keeps herself busy mountain biking, hiking, skiing, cooking and reading to curb her insatiable wanderlust.

John Stegmaier - M.S. Recreation Resource Management

Originally from Michigan, I made my way to Missoula via Oregon for more education in hopes of realizing my goal of an awesome career in recreation management. My current research focus is conservation volunteerism specifically related to trails and wilderness stewardship. When not at school, you can find me on my mountain bike or skinning up the hills at Lolo Pass. If you like to ride, get in touch as I'm always looking for more riding/skiing partners! I have a wonderful wife and a pet pug named Kenny. 

Rebekah Rafferty, PhD

Rebekah Rafferty joined the Human Dimensions Lab in January of 2017 to pursue a PhD in Forest and Conservation Sciences. Her general research interests revolve around coupled social-ecological systems of the western United States, specifically where and when conflicts among humans and natural resources occur. Her research goals are to develop empirically grounded solutions to alleviate resource-caused risks to human communities in order to facilitate coexistence. Rebekah graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a double major in Modern Literature and Environmental Studies in 2009. She received her M.A. in Social Science from Humboldt State University in 2015. Her Master’s thesis focused on human-wolf interactions in western Montana, specifically how cow-calf producers that have experienced repeated wolf depredations are responding to the increased risk that wolves pose to their livestock. While completing her thesis, Rebekah worked full time in Montana’s remote Swan Valley for Swan Valley Connections, a non-profit organization integrating conservation and education in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. Through an experiential learning strategy, she taught undergraduate students wildlife policy and management, field ecology of T&E species, and other courses examining the relationships between people and the landscapes that support them. At the University of Montana, Rebekah’s research focuses on applying the concept of resilience to western communities that exist among fire-prone forested ecosystems with the goal of understanding the processes that can help these communities maintain themselves in the context of large-scale fire-induced disturbance. In her free time, Rebekah enjoys anything related to natural history, is an amateur wine snob, and loves outdoor adventures with her husband and puppy. 

Crystal Beckman, MPA candidate at MSU

Crystal Beckman works for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) as the Fire Prevention and Investigation Program Coordinator within the Fire and Aviation Management Bureau, Forestry Division. Crystal began work with the DNRC in March 2013. Prior to this she worked for Montana State University Extension as the Gallatin County Natural Resource Agent. Crystal is in the final stages of completing her Master's in Public Administration from Montana State University. Her research is focused on understanding how collective action dimensions of wildland fire influence private landowner decisions regarding fire prevention behaviors. Crystal is conducting this work in partnership with the Human Dimensions Lab in the University of Montana, W. A. Franke College of Forestry, specifically with Lab Director Alex Metcalf and Master's Candidate Alice Lubeck. Crystal received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Montana, College of Forestry and Conservation.

Holly K. Nesbitt, Ph.D. Candidate, Forest and Conservation Sciences

Holly joined the lab in fall 2018. She focuses her research on the adaptive capacity of communities as they respond to ecological change as a member of an NSF-funded EPSCoR project on the eastern redcedar invasion of the Great Plains. She has a background in both quantitative biophysical sciences and policy planning. Prior to joinig the Lab, Holly worked as a decision analyst and facilitator to resolve resource management issues and develop policies and plans for agencies, communities, tribes and industry. She earned an MRM (Master’s in Resource Management) from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where she studied fisheries science and indigenous rights and a B.S. from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where she studied aquatic ecology. Unlike many people at UM, Holly uniquely enjoys spending time outside (all jokes aside, her activities of choice include canoeing, hiking, and skiing). She also enjoys a good book, a good beer, and is very excited about the latest reboot of the Star Wars franchise.

Ada Smith, Ph.D. Candidate, Forest and Conservation Sciences

Ada joined the Lab in 2018, making her way back to Montana where she has family roots. Growing up on a small farmstead in rural Wisconsin and spending summers on her grandparents' ranch in Montana were formative in developing Ada’s interest in food systems that connect and sustain people and places. Ada’s current research focuses on adaptive rangeland management and the role of livestock production on rangelands, or “working landscapes,” in supporting both economic and ecological sustainability in light of drought and other climate-related events. She earned her B.A. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies at Wellesley College and her M.A. in Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia where she worked in partnership with Gitxaala Nation to explore the relationship between Indigenous knowledge, education, and food sovereignty. Ada seeks out the quieter places on the map mostly for trail runs, ski runs, and taking her rifle for a walk, but seldom says no to new adventure moving in the mountains.

Nate Bender, M.S. Candidate, Resource Conservation

Nate began his M.S. program in the fall of 2019, after previously earning bachelor’s degrees in both psychology and business administration (marketing emphasis) in 2012 from the University of Montana. His research focuses on the intersection of business and resource conservation – how both innovative business models and strategies from marketing, communications and behavioral science can be effectively applied to conservation issues. This research builds on professional experience as an account and project manager in the marketing industry and an internship at the Biomimicry Institute. A native Montanan, Nate dedicates his free time to endurance activities and is a competitive ultrarunner sponsored by Ultimate Direction. In 2018, he completed the first continuous self-powered linkup of Montana’s 27 peaks taller than 12,000 feet. However, he still whines a lot about blisters.

Haley Hodge, M.S. Candidate, Resource Conservation

Haley joined the Lab in the fall of 2018. Her research evaluates stakeholder satisfaction with public engagement processes and forest management techniques in the Swan Valley, Montana. Prior to joining the Lab, Haley graduated from the University of Montana in 2018 with a B.S. in resource conservation and a minor in ecological restoration. While at UM she has investigated interagency fire management policies for land management agencies and conservation policies for land trusts, and enjoyed getting her hands dirty in soils laboratories examining fuel particle dynamics, as well as nutrient cycling in tropical soils. In her free time, Haley enjoys fishing mountain lakes in Montana's backcountry.

Kenneth Edmo, M.S. Candidate, Resource Conservation

Kenneth joined the lab in the fall of 2021, after earning a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries in 2017 from Salish Kootenai College. His research focuses on understanding and improving interactions between grizzly bears and humans in Montana. In his free time, Ken enjoys spending time with friends, traveling, and hiking.

Rachel Shouse, Research Associate

Rachel Shouse graduated from the University of Montana in the spring of 2019 with a B.S. in parks, tourism and recreation management. She joined the lab during her undergrad to assist with the creation of the 2020-2024 Montana Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) for Montana State Parks. She is involved in various projects pertaining to outdoor recreation and provides support to the lab when needed. The opportunity to work in various areas of study has helped broaden her interests in pursuing her future academic and professional endeavors. Rachel enjoys exploring the waterways and mountains in her home state of Montana and is always on the hunt for new fishing spots.