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PhD student, Forest Ecology
Quinney College of Natural Resources
Utah State University
 
 
PhD, Forest Ecology, Utah State University (expected 2026)
BS, Biology, College of William & Mary (2019)
Minor: Computational/Applied Math & Statistics
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Organizations

Organizations

I am a doctoral student at Utah State University under the advisement of James A. Lutz. I am part of the Western Forest Initiative (WFI), a longitudinal study of old-growth forests in western North America and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution ForestGEO network. Our research focuses on tree mortality and forest population/community dynamics in three distinct reference forest types of the West.

Research

Research

As I develop my specific research program, I hope to address gaps in our understanding of how climate and fire interact with population- and community-level processes to shape the forested ecosystems of North America.

Previously

Previously

I have worked on research and conservation projects in the eastern US from northern Maine to southern Virginia and west to the Great Plains. Topics include: modelling population dynamics of common milkweed (Aslepias syriaca) using functional traits, monitoring disease spread in American chestnut (Castanea dentata), prescribed fire application for longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) restoration and management, and wetland mitigation and riparian restoration.

Science is the key to good management.

I have a strong interest in advancing science-based conservation and management of our world's natural resources. Good science comes through good communication and teamwork. I foster collaborative scientific discourse by using and promoting open-source and reproducible methodologies and education in order to achieve a more transparent and rigorous scientific process. Good teamwork includes everyone. This means working together with people from a wide range of different backgrounds to enrich our community of expert scientists and managers and gain valuable perspective.

Soren Struckman