People

cmw289 [at] cornell.edu
(he/him/his)

My motivation as a scientist is conserving biodiversity in the face of rapid ecological change. For a long time I “didn’t like math” but as a graduate student I developed an appetite for quantitative approaches to science. My hobbies include snowboarding, running, biking, and eating local apple varieties. I also like finding new vegan restaurants. I usually belatedly share photos of my adventures and fieldwork on Instagram.

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Education
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.Sc. University of Maine-Orono
B.A. Middlebury College

mab693 [at] cornell.edu

My research interests are in avian and population ecology, ecological forecasting, and conservation biology. I use novel approaches in population ecology to address management and conservation needs of threatened avian species. My most recent work was on understanding and forecasting the population dynamics of the Everglade snail kite, a federally endangered wetland-dependent raptor in Florida, using an extensive 28-year dataset on snail kite reproduction and movement.

At the Yang Center, I will: 1) use both acoustic and count-based observations to model occupancy and abundance of Pinyon Jays, a threatened bird from the western US, and 2) analyze owl and fire data from Southern California to assess the critically declining Spotted Owl population in that region. Collectively, this work will inform conservation decision-making for these species, including ESA listing status, and their broader ecosystems.

Projects: Spotted Owl conservation & Pinyon Jay conservation

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Education
Ph.D. University of Florida
M.S. University of Florida
B.S. University of Rhode Island

srk252 [at] cornell.edu

I am fascinated by the eco-evolutionary processes that generate, maintain, and distribute biodiversity across space and time, but also how we can effectively conserve it. My research broadly focuses on understanding how the environment structures biodiversity across various levels of biological organization, from individual species distributions to functional diversity. I am excited to use bioacoustics to further understand biodiversity-environment relationships and aid the conservation of biodiversity in a rapidly changing world. Outside of research, I enjoy birding, fly fishing, backpacking, and playing ice hockey.

Project: Sierra Nevada avian biodiversity

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Education
Ph.D. Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.S. Marine Science, University of Texas Austin
B.S. Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

kgs78 [at] cornell.edu
(she/hers)

I am interested in applying emerging methods for biodiversity monitoring to improve our understanding of how the world’s ecosystems are responding to global change. I am particularly excited about trying to understand the processes that support biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and how they are impacted by human activity.

During my PhD (University of Reading, UK) I studied the projected impact of avian extinctions on functional diversity. I am bringing my expertise in trait-based ecology to the Yang Center as a Christopher W. Clark postdoctoral fellow where I will work with biome-wide biodiversity data from the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland. I will explore the patterns and implications of biodiversity loss, alongside data on species occupancy and response to human activities at broad taxonomic and spatial scales with high spatial and temporal resolution. Using this cutting-edge dataset, we will measure ecosystem integrity across the Pantanal, to inform management decisions, identify priorities for conservation and advance approaches for ecosystem-scale monitoring.

Google Scholar | Bluesky

Education
Ph.D. University of Reading
M.Sc. University of Edinburgh
B.A. (Hons) University of Cambridge

mlg327 [at] cornell.edu

My work with various species in diverse ecosystems has deepened my passion for studying and conserving biodiversity. My recent research interests include habitat and resource use, movement ecology, and fire ecology. In my spare time I enjoy trail running, rock climbing, and fly fishing – always accompanied by my dog. I also enjoy playing video games and sewing.

Project: Southern California Spotted Owl monitoring/ Spotted Owl conservation

Education
M.Sc. Boise State University
B.S. Kansas State University

va39955 [at] uga.edu

During the years prior to starting my master’s degree at the University of Georgia, I had the opportunity to be part of a team that described a new species of tree-frog in northern Costa Rica, Tlalocohyla celeste (Varela-Soto et al., 2022). This frog is currently known from a single locality, an 8-hectare wetland within a private nature reserve called Tapir Valley. In my master’s research, I will use bioacoustics to understand the diel and seasonal patterns of activity of the species and figure out what extrinsic factors dictate its calling phenology.

At the Yang Center, I will be collaborating closely with Dr. Wood to build an automatic detector to answer these questions and use it to conduct presence/absence surveys in surrounding wetlands.

Education
B.S. Colorado State University (2020)

netoskie [at] wisc.edu
(she/her/hers)

I am a PhD student co-advised by Connor Wood and Zach Peery (University of Wisconsin-Madison. I have worked with a number of different taxa from frogs in an Austrian zoo to native Hawaiian forest birds and Mojave desert tortoises in southern California. I am broadly interested in wildlife ecology, especially how animals communicate with one another, movement patterns, and how they adapt to changing landscapes. My exact dissertation topic is still yet to be determined, but I will be using our lab’s extensive acoustic monitoring data to examine avian diversity in the Sierra Nevada. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, paddle boarding, cross-stitching, and everything Disney.

Project: Sierra Nevada avian diversity

Education
M.Sc. University of Hawaii at Hilo
B.S. Juniata College

I am a biologist from Argentina and a PhD student at the National University of Córdoba and the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET). My research interests span avian ecology, behavior, and conservation. I have explored various aspects of bird biology, including frugivory and seed dispersal, cavity-nesting behavior, and interactions between native and invasive species.

I’m joining the Yang Center via a Fulbright Fellowship, where I will analyze owl data I generated from a combination of passive acoustic surveys across different habitat types in the Argentine Atlantic Forest and my own custom detector outputs. I will link that data with local vegetation and remote sensing data, to apply occupancy models to study owl habitat use and patterns of co-occurrence.

Education
B.S. National University of Córdoba

strasbaugh [at] wisc.edu

My interest in herpetology and ornithology has taken me from studying turtles in central Pennsylvania, to frogs and toads in Memphis, TN, and across the marshes, dunes, and swamps of the East Coast to study birds. I am particularly interested in applied conservation methods for threatened and endangered species, population dynamics, and wildlife conservation in the face of anthropogenic climate change.

For my graduate research, I am working closely with Dr. Wood at the Yang Center and Dr. Zach Peery at UW-Madison to develop methods for monitoring the endangered Marbled Murrelet using passive acoustic monitoring. This will aid land managers in preserving crucial habitat for this rare seabird.

When I’m not hiking through the redwoods, you’ll find me doing crafts, taking horrible/blurry pictures of wildlife, or wandering around a thrift store.

Project: Marbled Murrelet conservation

Education
B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Pennsylvania State University, 2022

I’m an undergraduate at Cornell University, class of 2027, majoring in Biological Sciences and Environment & Sustainability. My long standing passion for wolves was what initially drew me to bioacoustics research. Currently, my research interests are focused on how bioacoustics can be used in relation to more traditional wolf monitoring methods. My goal is to conduct research that will provide insights into the impact of human activities on ecosystems and wildlife, which can help influence conservation strategies. Outside of academics, I love exploring new trails, playing the trumpet, spending time with my dogs, and reading.

Project: Wolf recolonization