Current Students

Megan O'Reilly, M.S. candidate

Bighorn sheep and mountain goat distributions in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Shana Dunkley, M.S. candidate

An evaluation of the influence of landscape attributes on vulnerability of elk
to wolf predation

Braden Burkholder, M.S. candidate

Moose ecology related to willow communities.

Past Graduate Students

Jennifer Mannas, M.S. 2011

Thesis: Assessing Weddell seal maternal investment in offspring
Post-graduate Position: Biologist, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Seattle

Claire Gower, Ph.D. 2009

Dissertation: Behavioral responses of elk to winter wolf predation risk in the Madison headwaters area, Yellowstone National Park
Post-graduate Position: Native Species Biologist, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Matthew Becker, Ph.D. 2008

Dissertation: Applying predator-prey theory to evaluate large mammal dynamics: wolf predation in a newly-established multiple-prey system
Post-graduate Position: Research Biologist, Non-profit Organization, Zambia

Kelly Proffitt, Ph.D. 2008 

Dissertation: Mass dynamics of Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Post-graduate Position: Research Biologist, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Jamin Grigg, M.S. 2007

Thesis: Gradients of predation risk affect distribution and migration of a large herbivore
Post-graduate Position: Wildlife Biologist, Colorado Division of Wildlife

Julie Cunningham (Fuller), M.S. 2006 

Thesis: Population dynamics of the Yellowstone National Park bison herds
Post-graduate Position: Wildlife Biologist, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Kelvin Johnson, M.S.  2006

Thesis: Evaluation of Montana’s block management program
Post-graduate Position: Wildlife Biologist, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Jason Bruggeman, Ph.D.  2006

Dissertation: Spatio-temporal dynamics of the central bison herd in Yellowstone National Park
Post-graduate Position:  Research Associate, University of Minnesota

Justin Gude, M.S. 2004

Thesis: Applying risk allocation theory in a large mammal predator-prey system: elk-wolf behavioral interactions
Post-graduate Position:  Research & Tech Supervisor, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Darren Ireland, M.S. 2004

Thesis: Mass estimation of Weddell seals through photogrammetry
Post-graduate Position:  Wildlife Biologist, LGL Limited, Alaska

Eric Bergman, M.S. 2003

Thesis: Assessment of prey vulnerability through analysis of wolf movements and kill sites
Post-graduate Position: Research Biologist, Colorado Division of Wildlife

M. Adam Messer, M.S.  2003

Thesis: Identifying large herbivore distribution mechanisms through application of fine-scale snow modeling
Post-graduate Position:  GIS/Data Analyst, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Steven Hess, Ph.D.  2002.

Dissertation: Aerial survey methodology for bison population estimation in Yellowstone National Park
Post-graduate Position:  Research Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaii

Vanna Boccadori, M.S.  2002

Thesis: Effects of winter range on a pronghorn population in Yellowstone National Park 
Post-graduate Position:  Wildlife Biologist, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Amanda Hardy, M.S.  2001

Thesis: Bison and elk responses to winter recreation in Yellowstone National Park
Post-graduate Position:  Ph.D. candidate, Colorado State University

Rose Jaffe, M.S.  2001

Thesis: Winter wolf predation in an elk-bison system in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Post-graduate Position:  Wildlife Biologist, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Dan Bjornlie, M.S.  2000

Thesis: Ecological effects of winter road grooming on bison in Yellowstone National Park
Post-graduate Position:  Wildlife Biologist, Wyoming Game and Fish Department

Matthew Ferrari, M.S.  1999

Thesis: An assessment of the risk of inter-specific transmission of Brucella abortus from bison to elk on the Madison-Firehole winter range
Post-graduate Position:  Post-doc, Pennsylvania State University

Andrew Pils, M.S. 1998

Thesis: Sampling and analysis methods for snow-urine nutritional assays
Post-graduate Position:  Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Forest Service, Cody, WY

Eric Cox, M.S. 1996 (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Thesis: Influences of environmental factors on survival of sympatric snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits near geographic range limits
Post-graduate Position:  Ph.D. candidate, University of  Idaho (deceased)

P.J. White, Ph.D. 1996 (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Dissertation: Noninvasive assessments of the nutritional and reproductive status of free-ranging herbivores
Post-graduate Position:  Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, National Park Service

Jennifer Graetz, M.S.  1995 (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Thesis: Faunal inventories of Agate Fossil Beds and Grand Portage National Monuments and effects of grazing on the vegetation structure and floral and faunal communities in a mixed grass prairie ecosystem
Post-graduate Position:  Prairie Restoration Biologist, Wisconsin