Sustainability Leadership Fellow Cohort: 2016-2017

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology

Research Summary: Expanding human development increases the ways humans and wildlife interact. Interactions sometimes lead to conflicts, which cause consequences ranging from decreased human tolerance for wildlife to killing conflict-causing animals. Conflicts are caused by wildlife and human behaviors, and require an understanding of both to identify solutions. I have applied an interdisciplinary framework to understand the role of human and animal behavior in human-wildlife conflict, suggesting management actions that limit conflicts, increase tolerance for wildlife, and conserve populations. I study human-wildlife coexistence in the context of human-black bear conflict by exploring social and ecological factors that affect the risk of conflict.