Why FSU?

I chose to pursue my graduate degree at FSU because of the interdisciplinary program that allowed me to combine my interests in environmental management and public governance. I also felt that the welcoming yet challenging culture in my department would offer the support I needed to grow as a young scholar.

Motivation to pursue a graduate degree

I have embraced understanding the key to life, learning. I enthusiastically describe myself as a lifelong learner. I was motivated to pursue a doctoral degree to further develop problem solving skills. I am interested in solving some of the twenty-first-century tensions between the built and natural worlds.

Importance and impact of research

Similar to pop-up showers, the threats impacting natural resources are not always uniform but are interconnected. Federal and state agencies, as well as nonprofit and private organizations, are collaborating at the regional scale to address natural resource challenges at the scale in which they occur. My research explores how these collaborative groups use scientific information to address priority issues related to the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat. This work draws on concepts related to the challenge of the common resources, the role of knowledge, and the capacity for policy implementation. My dissertation focuses on the process by which the group collectively generates knowledge and resources and the extent to which it influences the management surrounding natural resource issues. This work is critical to understand the role that scale and collaboration play in supporting and inhibiting natural resource management.

Career aspirations

My career aspirations are to manage natural resources for current and future generations. I am excited by the innovative work that is being done in public management. My future research plan is to support describing and improving the effort for natural resource management and policy.

Advice for anyone considering graduate school

I advise those considering graduate school to explore their areas of interest and those areas that relate and overlap. There is so much information in the world. You want to find something that motivates you and that you can study deeply and across contexts. Additionally, I think two important skills for graduate school are being self-motivated and open to challenges.