Faculty and Staff Directory
"Science is a way of thinking, much more than it is a body of knowledge."
—Carl Sagan
—Carl Sagan
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest Health Management
- Long-Term Forest Health Monitoring
- Earthworm Invasion Ecology
- Dendrochronology
- Insect, Fungi, and Environmental Education
Brenda Bergman
Research Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Research Assistant Professor, Cognitive and Learning Sciences
Director of Research and Operations, Michigan Science Teaching and Assessment Reform Project
Specialties
- Education for a Sustainable Future
- Experiential Education
- Ecosystem Science
- Aquatic-Terrestrial Linkages in Ecology
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- Social-Ecological Systems
William S. Breffle
Associate Professor of Economics, School of Business and Economics
Affiliate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Teaching Interests
- Environmental economics
- Natural resource economics
- International economics
- Mathematical economics
- Principles of economics
Research Interests
- Non-market valuation
- Discrete choice modeling
- Benefit-cost analysis
- Restoration program planning
- Health economics
"Nature loves to hide"
—Heraclitus
—Heraclitus
Joseph K. Bump
Associate Professor of Animal Ecology & Conservation, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Faculty Advisor to the Michigan Tech Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Areas of Expertise
- Predator ecology & ecological heterogeneity
- Aquatic-terrestrial links
- Stable isotopes in animal ecology & conservation
- Vertebrate habitat ecology
- Conservation ethics
"Every day in the woods is a good day - don't get so caught up in the work at hand that you forget to look around and appreciate where you are."
Andrew J. Burton
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Director, Ford Center and Research Forest
Director, Ecosystem Science Center
Areas of Expertise
- Forest responses to global change factors
- Belowground processes
- Carbon and nutrient cycling
- Physiological ecology of tree roots
- Undergraduate involvement in research
"I consider myself extremely fortunate to live in a time when genome revolution in many areas of biology is enabling unprecedented depth into our understanding of life."
Victor Busov
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Functional genomics of plant development
- Gibberellins metabolism and signal transduction pathway
- Regulation of lateral root formation in relation to abiotic stress
- Regulation and evolution of secondary growth in woody perennials
- Micro and small RNAs regulation of development and response to environment
Patricia Butler
Research Scientist I
Areas of Expertise
- ecosystem response to climate change
- climate change adaptation and management strategies
- outreach and technical transfer of climate change tools and resources
"The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Molly A. Cavaleri
Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
- Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment (TRACE)
- Follow on Twitter: @MollyCavaleri
Areas of Expertise
- Forest canopy structure and function
- Forest response to global change
- Carbon and water cycling through forests
- Tree ecophysiology
- Stable isotope ecology
- Invasive tree species
"We are what we imagine ourselves to be"
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr
Rodney A. Chimner
Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Peatland and wetland restoration
- Peatland and wetland carbon cycling
- Mountain wetlands
- Tropical peatlands
- Ecosystem carbon cycling
- Wetland ecohydrology
Yvette Dickinson
Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Specialties
- Silviculture and applied forest ecology
- Stand- and landscape-scale forest structure
- Restoration silviculture
Paul V. Doskey
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Director, Microanalytical Facility (MAF)
Director, Molecular Biogeochemistry Laboratory (MBL)
Research Interests
- Environmental Biogeochemistry
- Biogeochemistry of Surface-Atmosphere Exchange
- Atmospheric Organic Chemistry
- Environmental Analytical Chemistry
Curtis Edson
Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resoures and Environmental Science
Remote Sensing
Geospatial Information Science
Areas of Expertise
- Remote Sensing
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Surveying and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)
- Aerial Photogrammetry
- Cartography
- Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)
- Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
Jennifer Eikenberry
Assistant Research Scientist
Areas of Expertise
- Stable isotopes
- Forest ecology
- Mass spectrometry
Joe Eskola
Research Associate
Areas of Expertise
- Wood protection
"Hope is the thing with feathers. That perches in the soul."
—Emily Dickinson
—Emily Dickinson
David J. Flaspohler
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Conservation biology
- Avian ecology and reproduction
- Cascading effects of deer overbrowse
- Island ecology
John Forsman
Assistant Research Scientist
Areas of Expertise
- Wood composites
"If you can't measure it, then you can't manage it."
Robert E. Froese
Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Coordinator of Forest Planning and Research, Ford Center and Forest
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest Inventory, Mensuration, and Biometrics
- Silviculture, Quantitative Silviculture, and Growth & Yield
- Empirical, process and hybrid forest modelling
- Biomass and Carbon Inventory, Management, and Life Cycle Assessment
"Genetic variation is the foundation for the ability of forest trees to adapt environmental changes"
Oliver Gailing
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Areas of Expertise
- Ecological genetics and genomics
- Population genetics of forest trees
- Conservation genetics
- Genetic mapping and QTL analyses
- Forensic genetics
Kathleen E. Halvorsen
Professor of Natural Resource Policy
Joint Appointment in Social Sciences and School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Areas of Expertise
- Woody bioenergy
- Climate change
- Natural resource policy
- Biodiversity policy
- Bioenergy policy
"A good map tells a multitude of little white lies; it suppresses truth to help the user see what needs to be seen. ...the value of a map depends on how well its content reflects a chosen aspect of reality."
—Mark Monmonier
—Mark Monmonier
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Geographic information systems
- Cartography
- Global positioning systems
- Great Lakes Quaternary (glacial) geomorphology
"Soil is the basis of all terrestrial life."
Martin F. Jurgensen
Research Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest soil productivity, management and sustainability
- Global climate change impact on soil biology
- Organic matter decomposition and ecosystem nutrient cycling
"If trees could run away from their place of establishment, believe me many of them probably would!"
Evan S. Kane
Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Areas of Expertise
- Soil carbon
- Plant/soil relationships
- Decomposition
- Dissolved organic carbon
- Wildfire
- Black carbon
Matthew C. Kelly
Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Management, School of Forest Resources & Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest operations
- Forest and natural resource management
- Human dimensions of natural resources
- Watershed management
- Natural resources policy
Erik Keranen
Assistant Research Scientist
Areas of Expertise
- Wood protection
Jessie Knowlton
Research Scientist
jlknowlt@mtu.edu
Noblet Building 164
Noblet Building 164
Areas of Expertise
- Avian Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Tropical Biology
Sapna Kumari
Research Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
skumari@mtu.edu
Noblet Building
Noblet Building
"Wood is good!"
Peter Laks
Research Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Fungal and insect resistance of wood-based composites
- Preservative systems for solid and composite wood building products
- Nanoparticle wood preservative systems
- Field-testing of wood products for biodegradation resistance
Nancy Langston
Professor of Environmental History, Social Sciences
Member of the Great Lakes Research Center
Affiliate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
nelangs3@mtu.edu
220 AOB MTU, 1400 Townsend D Houghton MI 49931
220 AOB MTU, 1400 Townsend D Houghton MI 49931
Specialties
- Toxics, forested watersheds, and northern lakes
- Environmental history
- Watershed change and water quality
- Mining history
Glenn Larkin
Senior Research Scientist I
Areas of Expertise
- Wood protection and composites
- Forest natural products
"We are, in actuality, students of that greater order known as nature. It is into nature that man vanishes."
—Loren Eiseley
—Loren Eiseley
Robert James Laverne
Instructor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
330-673-9511
rlaverne@mtu.edu
rlaverne@mtu.edu
Links of Interest
- International Society of Arboriculture
- American Society of Consulting Arborists
- iTree urban forest benefit measurement tools
- Urban & Community Forestry - USDA Forest Service
- National Arbor Day Foundation
- Urban forests and human benefits - resources
- Forestry for Urban Environments - Intro to FW4400 Urban Forestry class
Areas of Expertise
- Urban Forestry
- Arboriculture
- Tree Appraisal and Expert Witness Services
- Environmental, Economic and Social Benefits of Urban Forests
- Soundscape Ecology
"Change is the norm in ecosystems. What is new is the rate of change. How we respond to this change will be our legacy to future generations."
Erik Lilleskov
Adjunct Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Areas of Expertise
- Forest ecology
- Ecosystems ecology
- Physiological ecology
- Community ecology
- Fungal ecology
- Mycorrhizal fungi
- Molecular ecology
- Soil ecology
- Global environmental change impacts on forest ecosystems
- Invasive species impacts
- Biogeography of invasive soil organisms
"The practical application of knowledge is what moves us forward."
Ann Maclean
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Remote sensing
- Digital image processing
- Geographic information systems
- Spatial modeling
Kailey Marcinkowski
Research Scientist
Specialties
- High-elevation forest ecosystems
- Dendrochronology
- Climate change impacts and adaptation
- Science outreach and communication
Audrey L. Mayer
Associate Professor of Ecology and Environmental Policy
Coordinator, Peace Corps Masters International Program in Forestry
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Landscape ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Environmental and Natural Resources Policy
- Sustainability science
Nam Jin Noh
Post Doc Research Associate
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Synthesizing the EAB impacts on biogeochemical cycles in black ash wetlands
- Forest carbon and nitrogen cycles
- Belowground carbon and nitrogen dynamics
- Ecosystem responses to climate change and managements
- Plant and soil interaction
- Wood debris dynamics
"Good science starts with good questions."
Blair Orr
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Community Economics
- Forest economics
- Land use in the Upper Peninsula
"The challenge of wild carnivore restoration."
Rolf O. Peterson
Research Professor
Areas of Expertise
- Mammalian ecology
- Predator-prey relationships
- Ecology and behavior of gray wolves
"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in."
—Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
—Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
Sigrid Resh
Research Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest carbon dynamics
- Soil sustainability
- Forest restoration
- Isotope applications in forests
"The careful observation of nature is the first step in caring for the earth."
Dana L. Richter
Research Scientist II, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest mycology, pathology, fungal ecology
- Tree and forest disease diagnosis and assessment
- Wood decay & mold/stain testing
- Mycorrhizae, plants and mushrooms
Mark Rudnicki
Professor of Practice in Forest Biomaterials
Areas of Expertise
- Forest Biomaterials
- Tree biomechanics
- Wind and trees
- Dendrochronology
- Extension and Outreach
"Useful concepts must be placed in context and rendered operational."
James M. Schmierer
Forester/Instructor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Management and silviculture of northern hardwoods and boreal forests
- Timber harvesting and site preparation effects on forest regeneration
- Forest recreational development and management
Kristin Schmitt
Research Scientist I
Areas of Expertise
- Ecosystem response to climate change
- Web-based outreach on climate change adaptation and mitigation
- Science synthesis and communication
"Whether it is wading in a stream to sample trout, digging under logs to count salamanders or peering under rocks to examine mayflies, both teaching and research benefit from this type of real world experience"
Amy Schrank
Research Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Areas of Expertise
- Aquatic ecology
- Fish movement patterns and community dynamics
- Aquatic-terrestrial links
- Vernal pool ecosystems
- Effects of human impacts on aquatic systems
Danielle Shannon
Climate Change Specialist
Research Scientist II
Links of Interest
Terry Sharik
Dean, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Robbins Chair in Sustainable Resources
906-487-2352
tlsharik@mtu.edu
tlsharik@mtu.edu
Areas of Interest/Study
- Academic leadership in natural resources
- Educational reform in natural resources
- Trends in natural resource enrollments
- Regeneration ecology of forests
Andrew J. Storer
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Associate Dean, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Director, Honors Institute
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Forest insect ecology
- Insect/fungus/plant interactions in forest ecosystems
- Impacts of exotic species on forest ecosystems
- Interactions among fire, insects and disease in forests
- Urban forest health
Christopher W. Swanston
Research Ecologist, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Adjunct Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Director, Northern Institute of Applied of Applied Climate Science
Areas of Expertise
- Soil organic carbon stabilization and cycling
- Radiocarbon analysis and interpretation
- Forest response and adaptation to climate change
- Landscape scale conservation
Ramesh Thakur
Research Scientist II
Specialties
- Forest tree improvement and genetic resources
- Plant biotechnology and tissue culturing
- Air pollution and climate change
"I am a population biologist. I spend most of my time studying the wolves and moose of Isle Royale. I am also interested in the philosophy and ethics of ecological and conservation science."
John A. Vucetich
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Demographic and genetic elements of population biology
- Ecology of wolves and moose
- Environmental ethics
"Whether working with students in the lab, field or classroom, nothing beats seeing the spark of understanding ignite a passion for learning."
Leah M. Vucetich
Research Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Isle Royale wolf genetics
- Field research methods
"Maintaining balance and stability in natural systems requires embracing their underlying chaos."
Christopher R. Webster
Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Areas of Expertise
- Gap dynamics and disturbance ecology
- Invasion biology of exotic species
- Landscape ecology
- Plant community response to herbivory
- Restoration silviculture
- Wildlife habitat relationships
"We are doing excellent job in describing how an individual gene functions, but not how life functions. Systems biology is to fill this gap."
Hairong Wei
Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Department of Computer Science (Adjunct)
Department of Mathematics (Adjunct)
Areas of Expertise
- Identification of genes regulating complex traits via systems biology approaches
- Gene expression data analysis
- Gene network construction and decomposition
- Developing software for mining large-scale biological data
- Genomics of wood formation
Xinfeng Xie
Assistant Professor of Forest Biomaterials
Areas of Expertise
- Carbon materials derived from wood, lignin, and cellulose
- Integrated thermochemical conversion and fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass
- Carbon-polymer composites and hybrid materials
- Wood protection and preservation
- Wood properties, quality, and modification
"The RNA regulatory system might have been essential prerequisite to both the evolution of developmentally sophisticated multicellular organisms and the rapid expansion of phenotyptic complexity into uncontested environment"
Yinan Yuan
Research Assistant Professor
Areas of Expertise
- Identification and characterization of natural antisense transcripts in woody plants
- Alternative splicing and salicylic acid metabolism in populus
- Sequencing complex plant genome through gene-enriched methods