Meet The Team
Background:
I am currently a PhD student at Virginia Tech and hold a B.S. and M.S. in Fisheries & Wildlife from Michigan State University.
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Research Area:
I am a fisheries social scientist and that works to integrate development economics, geography, and gender studies in freshwater fisheries globally. As a mixed methods scholar, I conduct econometric and spatial analyses of survey data as well as qualitative analyses of interview and focus group data to understand complex social-ecological systems. I am particularly interested in exploring issues of equity, access, gender, food security and nutrition, and livelihoods, at the nexus of economic development and environmental conservation. My research is guided by resilience theory, social-ecological systems and food systems thinking, and a commitment to ethical engagement with local communities. I have contributed to projects in both the African Great Lakes and the Laurentian Great Lakes, specifically Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.
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Fun Fact:
Beyond being a graduate student, I am a runner, yogi, baker, and avid fiber artist.
-President-
-Vice President-
Background:
I am originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and received my B.S. in Environmental Biology from The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. My undergraduate research focused on waterbirds breeding in north-central Mongolia. After working for the National Park Service, I followed my passion for waterbird conservation to Virginia Tech and joined the Virginia Tech Shorebird Program as a graduate student in January 2020.
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Research Area:
I am a coastal ecologist with an interest in shorebird and seabird conservation, as well as coastal resilience and coastal zone management. My Ph.D. research focuses on the effects of climate-driven ecosystem state change on the American Oystercatcher population that nests on the Virginia barrier islands.
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Background:
I am a PhD student studying population dynamics of Cerulean Warblers. I happy to be living back in the Appalachian mountains were I grew up. In my free time, I enjoy resurrecting dying orchids, walking with my dog, and knitting.
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Research Area:
I study population dynamics of Cerulean Warblers. Previously, I have worked with monitoring nocturnal bird populations using bioacoustics.
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Fun Fact:
I once backpacked over 2,000 miles through the Appalachian Mountains!
-Treasurer-
-Secretary-
Background:
I'm from Indiana, where I attended the University of Notre Dame and began by career in ecological research while working in a lab studying biogeochemistry in streams. I then pursued my interest in wildlife biology as a technician working on research projects across the U.S. and Australia. I narrowed my interests to spatial ecology and completed my M.S. at Southern Illinois University, studying temporal effects and functional responses in bobcat and coyote habitat selection, as well as bobcat and coyote movement behaviors that indicate hunting specialization on deer fawns.
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Research Area:
I'm interested in wildlife movement and spatial ecology and strive to make my research relevant to conservation and aiding in the coexistence of wildlife and humans in ever-changing landscapes. My dissertation focuses on habitat connectivity and wildlife corridors. I'm using GPS data from bobcats and black bears from throughout Virginia to improve the current corridor modeling framework to better inform functional habitat connectivity. I'm also interested in individual variation in animal behaviors and am harnessing this variation to evaluate the links between animal spatial personalities and niche variation, as well as testing the value of integrating spatial personalities into corridor models.
Background:
Kelsey is a PhD student in the Dayer Human Dimensions Lab, where Kelsey is originally from rural Minnesota and holds a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Virginia Tech. She has worked as an environmental educator, bird trainer, and outreach specialist to increase access pathways to conservation and outdoor recreation for all. Kelsey is based in Baltimore, MD, where they love to be outside with their partner and dog. She is an avid reader, foodie, and 90s/early aughts TV enthusiast.
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Research Area:
Kelsey's research interests lie in understanding how people are motivated and encouraged to conserve natural resources and wildlife, as well as how to make conservation more equitable and sustainable. She works with Audubon and the US Forest Service to explore sustainable maple syrup production, focusing on how to incentivize sugarbush management to support bird conservation. Their previous research encompasses diversity, equity, and inclusion; participatory science; and support for state fish and wildlife agencies.
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Fun Fact:
In 2023, I read 60 books, and in 2024, I'm on track to read at least 80!
-GPSS Delegate-
-DEI Chair-
Background:
Mary Adebote received her Bachelor's degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta and graduated among the top five in her department. Her interest in the field made her pursue a master's degree in order to make an impact in the Aquaculture and Fishery sector in Nigeria and the world at large. Mary Adebote got the prestigious World Bank Scholarship to study MPhil Fisheries Science at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana where she graduated with distinctions. She is associated with several professional bodies, American Fisheries Society, British Ecological Society, Fisheries Society of Nigeria, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Nigerian Women in Agriculture for Research Development and Atlantic International Research Centre, Portugal. Studying fisheries science has been a pleasure for her, and she takes pride in my achievement so far. She has about seven years of experience studying and conducting research in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science. Since the completion of her undergraduate education, she has been active in many research, laboratory work, and government. Her research interests are fisheries science, aquatic ecology, ecotoxicology, and aquaculture. Alongside her academic pursuit, she has been engaged in various community services. Mary Adebote is passionate about youth development and this led her to have the Mary Soetan Initiative, a non-profit organization that is geared towards inspiring young people towards leadership and excellence. She has volunteered in several non-governmental organizations which have developed her ability to work in teams to achieve a desired goal. Her good leadership skill has qualified her for some positions outside of academics. She was appointed the Media Liaison Officer by the Young African Women Congress Network Nigeria. She is a One Million Leaders Africa Fellow under the Nelis Global Project, Japan. In addition, she was selected in January, 2023 by the Young African Leaders Initiative to execute a Climate Literary and Action Project within my community. Mary’s current Ph.D. research will take a socio-ecological approach to conserving fisheries resources.
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Research Area:
My Ph.D. research at Virginia Tech will focus on the socio-ecological impact of climate change on summer flounder (Paralichythys dentatus) fishery along the east Coast of the United States. I will also conduct a stock assessment/climate change impact investigation on sole species found in Nigeria to provide baseline information for sustainable management. Flounder and sole fisheries are some of the most important commercial and recreational flatfish fisheries globally. Yet, in recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in the flounder fishery in the US, likely due to climate change causing sexes to change from female to male reducing recruitment. Also, humans who depend on the fishery, such as fishers, anglers, processors, and dealers are on the brink of losing their livelihood. Recent studies have provided information on the ecology of summer flounder; however, the human dimensions of the fishery are yet unexplored. In Nigeria, though, there is insufficient data to understand the soles stock's current state and the climate change impact on the fishery. This study aims to compare the impact of climate change on the two fisheries in the different dynamic systems to provide relevant information as it relates to the current state of sole stocks in Nigeria as well as the socio-ecological impact of summer flounder fishery in the US for sustainable management.
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Fun Fact:
I love cooking, singing and dancing.
Background:
Having grown up in cities, I’ve always been passionate about learning more about the wildlife that share these spaces with us in urban environments. This curiosity has led me to travel to new places, connect with people from diverse backgrounds, and ultimately focus my studies on the factors influencing urban bat populations and what they reveal about the overall health of our cities.
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Research Area:
My interest is in understanding how the pressures of increased urbanization impact wildlife behavior and exploring effective strategies to mitigate these effects. Additionally, I am passionate about how environmental education can inspire stewardship for our urban greenspaces and wildlife.
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Fun Fact:
I love traveling, sports, hiking, music and relaxing at home with my cats
-DEI Co-Chair-
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-Secretary-
Background:
Although Sami has spend most of her life in Virginia, she was born and raised in Washington state. Driven by a passion for exploring the connection between wildlife and people, she began her graduate studies in conservation social science in 2021.
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Research Area:
Sami is involved in a collaborative project aimed at reducing human disturbance to shorebirds along the Atlantic Flyway. She facilitates a Community of Practice comprising more than 20 organizations and agencies, providing support to staff in designing and implementing community-based social marketing campaigns to mitigate shorebird disturbances.
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Fun Fact:
Sami graduated from Virginia Tech with her Bachelor's degree in 2020. Her legacy lives on through The Bigfoot Club and Virginia Tech, an outdoor (and squatchy) club she founded with her roommate in 2016.
Background:
I am from central Massachusetts and I will forever be a Masshole in my heart :) From 2016-2019 I completed my master's in biological sciences at Ole Miss, and then worked as a high school biology teacher in Oxford, MA from fall 2019-2023. I started my PhD in the WHAPA lab in January 2024, but I first worked for Marcella as a volunteer on the jaguar project in 2014 and then as project leader in the Mountain Pine Ridge of Belize in 2015. My journey to Virginia Tech was largely due to networking - and being annoying...squeaky wheel gets the grease baby!
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Research Area:
I am currently running the Virginia Gray Fox Project, which will eventually be a statewide camera survey. The major goals of this project are to establish the current distribution of gray foxes across Virginia and to identify bottom-up (habitat) and/or top-down (predators/competitors) factors impacting gray fox occupancy.
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Fun Fact:
I love creative outlets - cooking, baking, sewing, painting, crochet - these things make my heart happy! I also teach yoga, so if you ever wanna get your om on give me a shout :)
-Orientation/Speaker Chair-
-Website Chair-
Background:
I graduated with a BS in Forestry (2015) and an MSc in Forest Biological Science (2022) from the Department of Forest Biology at Kasetsart University, Thailand. I am interested in landscape ecology and wildlife management, with a focus on ecological modeling using R programming. I have utilized satellite tracking collars to study human-wildlife conflicts and employed GIS and remote sensing techniques to investigate protected areas in Southeast Asia. For my master's thesis, I conducted research on the landscape ecology of tiger prey in Thailand's UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Research Area:
Currently, at Virginia Tech, my PhD research will be focused on the ecology of bats and developing ecological niche models to study the biogeography of rodents and model the risk of transmission to humans. The models will help elucidate the linkages between environmental suitability of the rodent host and transmission patterns of hantavirus. I am supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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Fun Fact:
I learned a lot from my mistakes so I decided to make more mistakes to learn more!
