Meet the scientists, research staff, students, and administrators of NREL. Filter by role to find someone.
Dennis S. Ojima
Interim Executive Director
Dr. Dennis Ojima is an ecosystem scientist specializing in global change impacts on ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, and land use. His research focuses on climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, carbon accounting methods, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding social-ecological systems. Throughout his career, he has worked extensively on integrating ecosystem science into decision-making frameworks, particularly in addressing sustainability challenges. Dr. Ojima received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Colorado State University (CSU) in 1987 and has been part of CSU's Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) since 1982, where he has contributed to major ecological modeling efforts, including the development of the CENTURY model. He has also played a leading role in international research initiatives, including the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP).
Cameron L. Aldridge
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Cameron Aldridge is a Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL), a Research Ecologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and an Affiliate Professor with the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) and the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) at Colorado State University (CSU). He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Ecology from the University of Alberta in 2005, following a Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology from the University of Regina and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Ecology and Zoology from the University of Calgary. Recognized as one of the world's foremost sage-grouse ecologists, his research focuses on the conservation and management of Greater and Gunnison sage-grouse and their habitats. His work examines animal–habitat relationships, conservation ecology, and the impacts of energy development, land-use change, and climate change on wildlife populations and their ecosystems. He leads a large research team that includes undergraduate and graduate students, research associates, postdoctoral fellows, and research scientists, collaborating closely with state and federal partners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), conservation groups, and industry.
Jill S. Baron
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Jill S. Baron is an ecosystem ecologist and a Senior Research Ecologist with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). Her research focuses on nitrogen biogeochemistry and the ecological impacts of excess nitrogen, particularly in high-elevation mountain environments. She applies ecosystem concepts to the management of human-dominated regions and studies the biogeochemical and ecological effects of nitrogen fertilization and climate change on mountain ecosystems. In 2025, Dr. Baron became a scientist emerita at the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Over more than 49 years as a public servant with the United States Department of the Interior (DOI), she worked to improve conditions on public lands through scientific understanding of global change forces. Dr. Baron has edited two books on mountain ecosystem research and is committed to increasing opportunities in science for women and minorities. She received her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Colorado State University (CSU) in 1991, following undergraduate and master's degrees from Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin.
Randall Boone
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Randall Boone is a Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) and a Senior Research Scientist in the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). After completing graduate work in wildlife ecology at the University of Maine, he joined Colorado State University. His research experience is diverse and includes spatial analyses and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ecosystem modeling, landscape ecology, biogeographical relationships of birds and plants, species–habitat relationships, wildlife and pastoral livestock mobility, and cluster analysis. His current research focuses on three main topics: ecological simulation, pastoral ecology and simulation, and agent-based modeling. Current projects include ecosystem modeling of the continent of Africa, simulating deer and hunting dynamics in the northeastern United States, food systems and water quality modeling in New York, and optimizing the use of virtual fencing on Colorado ranches. He teaches courses in ecology and agent-based modeling.
Richard Conant
Senior Research Scientist
Richard Conant is Department Chair and Professor of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS), a Senior Research Scientist and ecosystem ecologist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL), and served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) at Colorado State University (CSU). He is also an Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia, and a Senior Research Scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Dr. Conant participates in national and international efforts to quantify human impacts on carbon cycling. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Arizona State University (ASU) in 1997. Dr. Conant's research focuses on understanding the feedbacks between human activities and ecosystem biogeochemistry. Specifically, he examines how land use and land management practices affect carbon and nitrogen cycling in agricultural and grassland ecosystems. He has worked closely with scientists from diverse disciplines to understand the characteristics of scientific information that best inform decision-making and has integrated those insights into his own research.
M. Francesca Cotrufo
Senior Research Scientist
M. Francesca Cotrufo is a Professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences (SCSC) at Colorado State University (CSU) and a Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). She earned her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) from the University of Naples, Italy, and her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Prior to joining CSU in 2008, she served as a professor at the University of Campania, Italy. She is a soil ecologist and biogeochemist internationally recognized for her work in litter decomposition and soil organic matter dynamics, as well as for the use of isotopic methodologies in these studies. She seeks to advance understanding of the mechanisms and drivers of the formation and persistence of soil organic matter and their responses to global environmental change and disturbance. She uses this understanding to improve modeling of soil carbon–climate feedbacks to inform climate and land-use policy and management. She also pursues applied research to innovate and increase the throughput of soil carbon and soil health testing and to propose soil management practices that regenerate healthy soils and mitigate climate change. Recognizing current and future global challenges, Dr. Cotrufo promotes research, education, and outreach activities to help mitigate human impacts on the Earth system and support a more sustainable path forward. To this end, she recently co-founded the Soil Carbon Solution Center (SCSC) with colleagues at CSU. She is also an entrepreneur and co-founded, with four other women scientists, Cquester Analytics, an analytical facility designed to accurately quantify soil organic matter and carbon sequestration metrics at scale using science-based approaches
Paul H. Evangelista
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Paul Evangelista is a Senior Research Ecologist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research encompasses invasive and endangered species, biodiversity assessment, species distribution modeling, and wildlife management. He specializes in integrative spatial modeling techniques that combine field data, traditional and expert knowledge, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and spatial statistics. These approaches support early detection of invasive species, discovery of new wildlife populations, mapping of critical habitats, and prediction of species distributions under changing climates. His research spans multiple ecosystems, from the semi-arid canyonlands of the American Southwest to Rocky Mountain coniferous forests and Ethiopia's Afro-montane highlands. His work supports sustainable management, stewardship, and conservation of natural resources and is committed to building capacity among managers, practitioners, and land stewards.
Kathleen Galvin
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Kathleen Galvin is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Geography (AG) and a Senior Research Scientist with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). She is the former Director of the Africa Center at CSU. She also serves as Advising Faculty for the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE), where she founded the Human–Environment Interactions specialization for graduate students seeking a strong academic foundation in social-ecological systems. She has conducted interdisciplinary social-ecological systems research in the drylands of East Africa and East Asia. Dr. Galvin has worked with local communities on land-use change, biodiversity conservation, food security, and climate change impacts and adaptation.
Wei Gao
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Wei Gao is a Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS), a Senior Research Scientist, and Director of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL), Colorado State University (CSU). He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, his Master of Science (M.S.) from Mississippi State University, and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Purdue University, followed by postdoctoral training at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. His research focuses on atmospheric radiation; the effects of ultraviolet radiation and other environmental stressors on crops and plants; atmospheric and vegetation canopy radiation transfer modeling; regional climate and ecosystem modeling; and the application of remote sensing in ecosystem studies. Dr. Gao has published more than 260 scientific papers and edited 22 books, proceedings, and journal issues. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of Frontiers of Earth Science and Executive Associate Editor-in-Chief of Engineering. A Fellow of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), Dr. Gao is the recipient of the Lifetime Distinguished International Service Award.
Stephen J. Del Grosso
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Stephen Del Grosso is a Research Soil Scientist and Ecologist with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Fort Collins, Colorado. His work focuses on soil carbon and nitrogen budgets, greenhouse gas emissions, and integrating models with ground-based and remotely sensed datasets to assess interactions between land use and climate change. He collaborates with Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) scientists and technicians to conduct DayCent model simulations of cropped and grazed lands across the United States (U.S.) to calculate soil greenhouse gas emissions reported in the national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory compiled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DayCent is also embedded in the Carbon Management and Evaluation Tool for Farms (COMET-Farm) decision-support tool and has been used to estimate plant and soil components of life-cycle assessments of biofuel feedstock production. His current work focuses on quantifying how precision management and other recommended practices can reduce greenhouse gas fluxes, increase soil carbon stocks, and mitigate nutrient losses from agricultural systems.
N. Thompson Hobbs
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. N. Thompson Hobbs is a Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Wildlife Biology from CSU in 1979, following a Master of Science (M.S.) from CSU and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from the University of Massachusetts. His research focuses on using ecological models to gain new insights from data, with particular emphasis on understanding controls on the population dynamics of large mammals in North America, West Africa, and Scandinavia. Dr. Hobbs is recognized for his pioneering work in Bayesian statistical modeling in ecology and his expertise in ungulate ecology, particularly elk and mule deer populations. He has authored several books, including Bayesian Models: A Statistical Primer for Ecologists (Princeton University Press, 2015), which provides ecological researchers with the statistical tools necessary to interpret complex natural systems.
Lee H. MacDonald
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Lee MacDonald is a Professor Emeritus at Colorado State University (CSU) and a Senior Research Scientist with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Wildland Resource Science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1989, following a Master of Science (M.S.) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Stanford University. A watershed scientist, his research focuses on how land use and vegetation changes affect runoff, erosion, sediment yields, and stream channel dynamics, particularly in forested landscapes. His work has examined the hydrologic and geomorphic effects of wild and prescribed fires, unpaved roads, and timber harvesting, emphasizing how these disturbances interact across spatial and temporal scales. Dr. MacDonald has contributed extensively to understanding cumulative watershed effects and the role of climate change in amplifying land-use impacts.
John C. Moore
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. John C. Moore is a University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, a Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS), and a Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). He served as Director of NREL from 2006 to 2024 and as the founding Department Head of ESS within the Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) from 2011 to 2020. Dr. Moore's research interests include soil ecology, mathematical and theoretical ecology, and the application of complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory to teaching and learning. His research on food web structure, function, and dynamics is positioned at the interfaces of community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and evolution, linking species traits and adaptations to biogeochemical cycles. He has been active in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and outreach throughout his career. He received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Zoology from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a Master of Science (M.S.) in Zoology from Michigan State University (MSU); and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Statistics from CSU. His Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on trophic interactions and food web analyses in natural and agricultural ecosystems.
Stephen M. Ogle
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Stephen Ogle is a Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) and a Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) at Colorado State University (CSU). He is an expert in assessing land use and management impacts on biogeochemical processes in agricultural systems. He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Master of Science (M.S.) in Botany from the University of Wyoming and his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology from Emory University. His research focuses on improving national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, particularly for United States (U.S.) government reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He has also served as a lead author on several reports prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr. Ogle collaborates with economists and sociologists to analyze land management decisions and their potential for mitigating GHG emissions. In addition, he has led capacity-building efforts in more than 20 countries, assisting governments in developing nations with improving their GHG inventories and promoting agricultural sustainability.
William J. Parton
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. William "Bill" Parton is a pioneer in ecosystem modeling and a longtime Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) and a 2007 Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). He is best known as the co-creator of the CENTURY and DayCent models, which simulate long-term ecosystem dynamics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Over four decades, Dr. Parton has led efforts to refine model capabilities, from incorporating fine-scale temporal dynamics to integrating economic data for practical applications. His work has supported tools such as the Carbon Management and Evaluation Tool for Farms (COMET-Farm) and Grassland Productivity Forecast (GRASS-CAST), bringing scientific models directly into the hands of farmers, ranchers, and policymakers. Dr. Parton continues to enhance model accuracy through innovations in deep soil carbon and microbial processes while advocating for scientific transparency in a landscape increasingly influenced by private carbon markets.
Eldor A. Paul
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Eldor Paul is an Emeritus Senior Research Scientist at Colorado State University (CSU)'s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Minnesota and held academic and administrative positions at the University of Saskatchewan, the University of California, Berkeley, and Michigan State University (MSU). Dr. Paul's research has focused on soil microbiology, biochemistry, and the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen cycling across agricultural, grassland, and forest ecosystems in North America. He has extensively used isotopic and chemical fractionation techniques to study soil organic matter transformations, contributing to research on global change and ecosystem sustainability. His widely used textbook Soil Microbiology, Ecology and Biochemistry, initially co-authored with F. E. Clark and later edited with Serita Frey, has been translated into several languages. He continues to investigate how temperature and other environmental variables influence carbon sequestration and soil organic matter stability.
Keith H. Paustian
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Keith Paustian is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences (SCSC) and a Senior Research Scientist with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Systems Ecology from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in 1987, following a Master of Science (M.S.) in Forest Ecology and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Forest Biology from CSU. His research focuses on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and climate change mitigation in agricultural systems. Dr. Paustian has contributed to the development of the CENTURY and DayCent ecosystem models and led the creation of the Carbon Management and Evaluation Tool for Farms (COMET-Farm), a decision-support tool used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), state and local land management agencies, environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs), companies, and farmers and ranchers to estimate on-farm carbon sequestration and GHG emission reductions. His work integrates field data, modeling, and synthesis to support national and international GHG inventories and climate action.
William H. Romme
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. William (Bill) Romme is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship (FRS) and a Research Scientist with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Master of Science (M.S.) in Botany (Plant Ecology) from the University of Wyoming and holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Chemistry from the University of New Mexico. A plant ecologist specializing in fire and landscape ecology, Dr. Romme has conducted extensive research in the subalpine forests of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), the forests and grasslands of southwestern Colorado, and the semi-arid woodlands of the Colorado Plateau. He is currently affiliated with CSU's Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship (WRMES) program and values collaboration with students, land managers, landowners, and fellow scientists.
Kathryn Schoenecker
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Kate Schoenecker is a Research Wildlife Biologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and a longtime collaborator with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). She received her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Ecology from Colorado State University (CSU) and her Master of Science (M.S.) in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the University of Arizona. With more than two decades of experience studying the ecology of ungulates, Dr. Schoenecker leads the Ungulate Ecology Research Team (UERT) at the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT). Her research spans the western United States and focuses on bison conservation and wild horse and burro ecology, with current projects examining horse competition with mule deer, mountain lion predation, and bison foraging behavior. She collaborates with federal land managers on sustainable wildlife management practices.
Robert G. Woodmansee
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Robert G. Woodmansee is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) at Colorado State University (CSU) and a former Director of the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Systems Ecology and Forest Soils from CSU, following a Master of Science (M.S.) in Botany and Plant Ecology and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology from the University of New Mexico. Dr. Woodmansee's research encompasses biogeochemistry and landscape ecology, with a focus on spatial and temporal scaling in ecosystems. He played a key role in developing the Grassland Ecosystem Model (ELM) and integrating landscape ecology approaches into NREL's research. He also served as a Program Director for Ecosystem Studies at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and was a founding member of the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program.
Julie Heinrichs
Research Scientist III
Dr. Julie Heinrichs is a researcher whose work focuses on developing advanced decision-support models to guide conservation planning in the face of environmental change. Her research integrates landscape ecology, population dynamics, and ecological forecasting to anticipate how ecosystems and species respond to stressors such as invasive species, wildlife disease, fire, habitat alteration, and long-term ecological change. Dr. Heinrichs develops statistical and spatially explicit mechanistic models that simulate how individual- and population-level behaviors interact with changing landscapes over time. Using forecasting approaches, she evaluates potential ecological outcomes under different management scenarios to identify strategies that support population persistence and ecosystem resilience. Her work translates complex ecological interactions into actionable insights for land managers, policymakers, and conservation practitioners. By emphasizing adaptability and transparency, her modeling framework supports proactive planning and highlights trade-offs among competing conservation objectives.
Jody C. Vogeler
Research Scientist III
Dr. Jody Vogeler is a Research Scientist III at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU) and holds graduate student advising privileges through the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS). Her research aims to advance understanding of ecosystem dynamics using novel remote sensing data fusion and large-scale data analytical approaches across national and international study regions. The Vogeler Lab specializes in integrating diverse remote sensing datasets with field surveys and other reference data to study the intersection of wildlife habitat ecology, carbon dynamics, and human–environment interactions in changing forest and woodland systems. Dr. Vogeler works to keep her lab at the forefront of remote sensing technology, geospatial methodologies, and quantitative approaches by leveraging cloud computing resources and machine learning alongside strong field-based ecological research and forest management expertise. Across her projects, she and her team collaborate closely with end-user partners to guide the development of research goals and spatial decision-support tools that contribute to sustainable management planning and long-term monitoring programs. Over the past three years, Dr. Vogeler has secured funding for 10 new grants while continuing work on an additional six grants awarded prior to 2022
James R. Henriksen
Research Scientist II
Dr. James Henriksen is a microbiologist and bioinformatician whose work harnesses microbial diversity to address real-world environmental challenges. With more than two decades of experience across academia, national laboratories, and biotechnology startups, his research focuses on data-driven discovery, microbial culturing, and biochemical transformations. At Colorado State University (CSU)'s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL), Dr. Henriksen serves as a Research Scientist and leads several initiatives, including the Culturomics Center and the Climate Solutions Lab. He is also the founder and Director of Research and Development for the Two Frontiers Project, which explores innovative microbial applications for environmental and sustainability challenges. In addition to his role at NREL, he holds affiliate appointments in Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE), Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS), and the Nancy Richardson Design Center (NRDC) at CSU. Dr. Henriksen earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Microbiology from the University of Georgia and dual Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Oklahoma.
Lauren Hoskovec
Research Scientist II
Dr. Lauren Hoskovec is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU), where she specializes in environmental biostatistics and quantitative ecology. With a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Statistics and a background in wildlife biology, Dr. Hoskovec integrates advanced statistical methodologies with ecological research to assess health risks associated with environmental exposures. Her work focuses on developing statistical methods for estimating health risks linked to environmental exposures such as wildfire smoke, air pollution, and pesticides. Dr. Hoskovec has contributed to interdisciplinary projects examining the health impacts of ambient air pollution and pesticide mixtures in agricultural communities, as well as the development of spatiotemporal prediction models for black carbon in urban environments. Her research also applies Bayesian statistical approaches to environmental health data, addressing challenges including missing data, complex exposure mixtures, and longitudinal exposure assessment. In addition to her methodological work, Dr. Hoskovec contributes to collaborative efforts compiling state-level greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, applying statistical expertise to national environmental assessments. Her interdisciplinary research bridges statistical theory and applied environmental science, with the goal of informing policy and improving public health outcomes.
Sarah R. B. King
Research Scientist II
Dr. Sarah King is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU) and teaches for the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (FWCB). Her research focuses on how insights from mammalian behavioral ecology can inform wildlife management and conservation. Dr. King has conducted detailed ethological studies on both endangered and abundant species, including Przewalski's horse, the Mount Graham red squirrel, and feral horses and donkeys. Her recent research on feral equids in the American West, conducted in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), aims to inform Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision-making. This work examines home ranges, habitat use, diet, demographic patterns, behavior, and the ecological effects of fertility control. Her research also has a strong international component, including extensive work in Mongolia. Dr. King currently serves as co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Equid Specialist Group, collaborating with researchers worldwide to advance the conservation of endangered equid species.
Stacy J. Lynn
Research Scientist II
Dr. Stacy Lynn is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). Her research addresses complex sustainability challenges affecting rangeland landscapes and livelihoods, with a focus on social–ecological systems in Africa and the western U.S. Dr. Lynn specializes in interdisciplinary and participatory research methods to examine how communities and ecosystems respond to variable and extreme environmental conditions, including drought and flooding. She has more than two decades of experience working with East African pastoralist communities on topics such as land-use change, human–wildlife interactions, and climate observations. In the U.S. West, her work investigates the ecological and social contributions of livestock grazing and supports management decision-making. She is also working with her team to develop a national curriculum on wild horses and burros for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Her research emphasizes inclusive science through deep community engagement and participatory practices. Dr. Lynn serves as the Director of Research and Education for CitSci, a platform that supports participatory science projects worldwide. She also teaches sustainability-focused courses and leads the Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) SUPER undergraduate research program at CSU, helping prepare the next generation of scientists to address challenges at the intersection of science and society.
Gregory J. Newman
Research Scientist II
Dr. Gregory Newman is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU) and the Director and co-founder of CitSci, a global participatory science platform and mobile application. His research focuses on the design and evaluation of cyberinfrastructure systems that support participatory science, with applications in conservation, public engagement, and ecological data management. Dr. Newman leads projects that integrate community participation with advanced technologies to address environmental and sustainability challenges. Recent research initiatives include engaging growers to study the effectiveness of perennial crops, developing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools to answer sustainability questions through a chatbot designed for Colorado, and integrating seasonal and sub-seasonal ecological forecasting models into decision-support dashboards for crop producers across the United States (U.S.) Corn Belt. He previously served as the inaugural board chair of the Citizen Science Association (CSA), now known as the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS), and continues to contribute to the advancement of participatory science methods and practices through his research and leadership. Dr. Newman received his Ph.D. in ecological informatics, citizen science, and community-based monitoring from Colorado State University (CSU) in 2010.
Anthony G. Vorster
Research Scientist II
Dr. Tony Vorster is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship (FRS) within the Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) at Colorado State University (CSU). He serves as the Lead Science Advisor for the NASA DEVELOP program at the Fort Collins location and is Co-Director of the Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship (WRMES) program. Dr. Vorster's research focuses on applied natural resource science, integrating field studies, stakeholder knowledge, large geospatial datasets, simulation and machine learning models, and remote sensing technologies such as multispectral satellite and aerial imagery and terrestrial and airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR). His work examines interactions between forest disturbances and management practices, including wildfire and bark beetle impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, fuels reduction treatment effectiveness, and forest carbon dynamics. Additional research areas include advances in grazing management, such as virtual fencing and remote sensing, and rangeland monitoring. His team works closely with federal and state agencies, land managers, and ranchers to guide research priorities and develop science-based management strategies. Dr. Vorster also leads internships and research opportunities for students in remote sensing and geospatial sciences and teaches within WRMES, helping train the next generation of scientists and land stewards.
Yao Zhang
Research Scientist II
Dr. Yao Zhang is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research focuses on developing and applying ecosystem models to better understand and quantify both human and natural controls on ecosystem patterns and processes. Dr. Zhang specializes in carbon and nitrogen cycling, plant–soil interactions, and the impacts of climate change and land-use change on ecosystem functioning. He is the lead modeler for the Microbial Efficiency–Matrix Stabilization (MEMS) 2.0 ecosystem model, which simulates soil carbon pools across both surface and deep soil layers. In addition, he contributes to ongoing improvements of the DayCent ecosystem model to assess soil carbon dynamics and crop yield responses under changing climate conditions. His work also integrates satellite imagery, geospatial datasets, and machine learning (ML) approaches to enhance ecosystem modeling capabilities and support more effective land management practices.
Maosi Chen
Research Scientist I
Dr. Maosi Chen is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU), where he works with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program. His research focuses on improving the quality and usability of ground-based radiometer data, retrieving atmospheric and surface properties through remote sensing, and applying ecosystem modeling approaches to environmental data. Dr. Chen also develops and implements deep learning (DL) algorithms for environmental data analysis, integrating advanced computational methods with ecological and atmospheric datasets to support environmental monitoring and research. He earned his Ph.D. in Ecology from CSU, a Master of Science (M.S.) in Cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Information Management from China Agricultural University (CAU).
Saeideh Esmaeili
Research Scientist I
Dr. Saeideh Esmaeili is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). Her research focuses on animal–habitat relationships, spatial ecology, and the movement ecology of large mammals. Her Ph.D. research at the University of Wyoming examined the endangered onager in central Iran, investigating habitat selection, human dimensions, and resource competition. She currently collaborates with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) to study the ecology and resource use of feral horses and burros and their interactions with native mammals, with the goal of informing conservation and management strategies. Dr. Esmaeili is also a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Equid Specialist Group, contributing to international efforts to conserve wild equid populations.
Gabriel W. Dias Ferreira
Research Scientist I
Dr. Gabriel Dias Ferreira is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). He is a broadly trained forest ecosystem scientist with a particular focus on soil biogeochemistry. His research examines how environmental conditions and management practices influence ecosystem dynamics and explores strategies to improve the productivity and sustainability of forests and agroecosystems. Dr. Ferreira's work spans multiple spatial and complexity scales, from plot-level measurements to ecosystem-scale management, and from simplified monoculture production systems to complex native environments. He applies quantitative approaches to evaluate ecosystem processes and supports the development of nature-based climate solutions grounded in empirical data and ecological modeling.
Ram B. Gurung
Research Scientist I
Dr. Ram Gurung is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research focuses on ecosystem ecology and ecological forecasting, with particular emphasis on modeling carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural systems. Dr. Gurung specializes in biogeochemical modeling and applies Bayesian model calibration and uncertainty quantification techniques to improve model predictability. His work includes studies on nitrous oxide (N₂O) mitigation and the development of models simulating enhanced-efficiency fertilizers. In addition to academic research, he has industry experience supporting the design and implementation of Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV) frameworks for agricultural GHG mitigation. His research advances understanding of the environmental impacts of agriculture and supports the development of more sustainable agricultural practices.
Mu Hong
Research Scientist I
Dr. Mu Hong is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research integrates process-based ecosystem modeling with land-use strategies to support sustainability and resilience in grassland and agricultural systems. Dr. Hong leads the development of the DayCent model for agrovoltaic systems and works on model development and applications related to specialty crops and organic amendments. His research evaluates long-term ecosystem responses under varying climate and management scenarios. Through collaborative and interdisciplinary projects, Dr. Hong aims to generate actionable insights that guide land management practices and inform environmental and agricultural policy.
Wenguang Sun
Research Scientist I
Dr. Wenguang Sun is a Research Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research integrates satellite observations, including sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), into the DayCent biogeochemical model to evaluate how climate and agricultural management practices influence crop productivity and soil carbon dynamics. Dr. Sun earned his Ph.D. in Soil Science from Louisiana State University (LSU), where his research focused on modeling nutrient and heavy metal transport in soil–plant systems. Prior to joining CSU, he worked with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory (ACSL), where he developed models of crop growth, yield, and soil processes. His broader research interests include sustainable agriculture, nutrient cycling, ecosystem modeling, and environmental change.
Yi Yang
Research Scientist I
Dr. Yi Yang is a Research Scientist at Colorado State University's Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, specializing in ecosystem modeling and biogeochemical dynamics. His research examines how climate change and agricultural management influence greenhouse gas emissions and crop productivity. Dr. Yang uses the DayCent ecosystem model to simulate global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions under a range of management and climate scenarios. His work also investigates the climate and soil erosion benefits of perennial crops such as Kernza, and he leads the development of new hydrological algorithms and the methanogenesis module within DayCent. He earned his Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2019, where he studied long-term carbon and nitrogen dynamics in abandoned agricultural fields and modeled the effects of pocket gopher disturbances on soil carbon cycling. In addition to his research, Dr. Yang contributes to training initiatives such as DayCent model workshops and participates in the Soil Carbon Solutions Center, advancing soil-based climate solutions.
Ty Boyack
Senior Research Associate
For more than 25 years, Ty has served the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) as an Information Technology (IT) Engineer, helping to build solutions that address technical challenges in both the scientific and operational work of NREL. He has always been drawn to deep technical solutions and strong human connections, and the work at NREL has created an environment that fosters both interests.
Melannie Hartman
Senior Research Associate
Dr. Melannie Hartman is a Senior Research Associate at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). Her research focuses on developing and implementing ecosystem models to understand how natural vegetation and agriculture influence soil carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets. She is also a co-creator of the DayCent model. Dr. Hartman earned her Ph.D. in Ecology from CSU and holds a Master of Science (M.S.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). Her work integrates field observations with modeling approaches to understand ecosystem responses to environmental change and supports tools such as Grass-Cast, which bring scientific models directly into the hands of farmers and ranchers. Dr. Hartman continues to improve ecosystem model accuracy through advances in representing deep soil carbon cycling and microbial processes.
George Janson Jr
Senior Research Associate
George Janson is a Senior Research Associate in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP), supporting research efforts by maintaining the UV-B Climatological Monitoring Network and its instrumentation. His work includes overseeing the operation, calibration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of instruments at 40 sites throughout the United States (U.S.), southern Canada, and New Zealand that comprise the UVMRP network. He provides reporting and graphics support for program staff, participates in special studies, works with research staff to evaluate the quality of collected data, advises external researchers about solar irradiance instrumentation, and evaluates next-generation instrumentation. During routine travel for maintenance of the climatological sites, he provides updates and training, as needed, for local site operators and occasionally gives presentations about the UVMRP to researchers at universities and institutions that host UV-B monitoring sites.
Shannon Spencer
Senior Research Associate
Shannon is a Senior Research Associate at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) working on Dr. Stephen Ogle's research team to study carbon and nitrogen dynamics in agricultural lands under various management practices. Shannon's academic background is in natural resources, forestry, soils, and ecology. He is responsible for acquiring, preparing, and managing diverse climate and agricultural management datasets used to drive modeling efforts. He is particularly interested in the application of remotely sensed data to support crop production inputs in DayCent ecosystem modeling estimates of soil carbon changes and trace gas emissions.
Nicholas Young
Senior Research Associate
Nicholas (Nick) Young is an ecologist and Senior Research Associate at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research spans a range of topics including habitat suitability modeling, western rangeland and natural resource management, and East African human–natural systems, often through the lens of remote sensing or spatial modeling. Recently, he has used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, technology to complement this research and explore additional applications in wildlife surveys and invasive species detection. Nick is also a science advisor for the NASA DEVELOP program, where he works with early career professionals and partner organizations to address environmental challenges using Earth observation (EO) data.
Tamara Bearly
Research Associate IV
Tammy Bearly is working on an interactive Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping website to display and query various types of data for the state of Colorado. Through this front-end website, multiple applications can access and apply a wide range of data from the back end. The different data applications include wildlife habitat, migration corridors, fish species, land use, and other datasets. She is also working on a related mobile phone application. Tammy has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics from Colorado State University (CSU).
Peder Engelstad
Research Associate IV
Peder Engelstad is a Research Associate in the Vogeler Lab and a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, Colorado. Peder is a quantitative ecologist who works primarily with R programming to address questions related to computational, spatial, and invasion ecology. His current research focuses on developing new methods for the production, evaluation, and interpretation of species distribution models. He primarily works with models of invasive terrestrial plant species to better understand the spatial processes and patterns underlying invasions and to improve the utility of models for practitioners responsible for managing invasive species. Peder is also the primary developer of the Invasive Species Habitat Tool (INHABIT), a web-based decision-support platform hosted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that provides maps and summaries of habitat suitability for hundreds of invasive plant species of management concern.
Patrick Fekety
Research Associate IV
Patrick is a remote sensing analyst in the Vogeler Lab who focuses on creating products and tools from remotely sensed data to support natural resource management. He holds a Master of Forestry (M.F.) degree, which helps bridge the gap between the needs of natural resource managers and the capabilities of remote sensing technologies. Patrick has worked on a range of projects from the local scale, such as assessing Canada lynx habitat in central Colorado, to the regional scale, including mapping forest disturbances across the Great Lakes region. He routinely incorporates remotely sensed data from multiple sensors into his work, including airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR), spaceborne LiDAR from the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), spectral imagery from Landsat and Sentinel-2, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) from Sentinel-1. Much of his current work focuses on mapping forest attributes and characterizing forest disturbances over time. He is a team member on a NASA Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) project that combines field measurements, airborne LiDAR, and Landsat time-series data to estimate forest attributes such as basal area, biomass, and volume across the western United States (U.S.). He has also worked with wildlife biologists to study how Canada lynx use post-fire landscapes in the Rocky Mountain region.
Susan Lutz
Research Associate IV
Susan Lutz is a Research Associate with more than 30 years of service at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). She specializes in the analysis and integration of land-use, climate, and soil data, with extensive experience post-processing outputs from the DayCent and CENTURY ecosystem models to support environmental assessments and ecosystem modeling research. In addition to her technical work, she plays a key role in front-office operations, assisting with salaried employee labor distributions, project spend-down calculators, minor budget oversight, and general Human Resources (HR) inquiries. This combination of scientific expertise and administrative support allows her to contribute both to research activities and to the smooth operation of the organization.
Daniel Reuss
Research Associate IV
Dan Reuss is a Research Associate IV who provides technical support as the Analytical Facilities Manager at EcoCore, a Colorado State University (CSU) Core Facility. He operates, maintains, troubleshoots, and repairs EcoCore's six capital instruments as well as a wide range of general laboratory equipment. He trains researchers, including students, to use the instruments and laboratory facilities so they gain valuable experience while reducing operational costs. He also ensures safety and regulatory compliance and provides technical assistance to EcoCore clients from across campus and the broader research community. Dan earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Agronomy from CSU in 1985.
Joanne Saher
Research Associate IV
Joanne has worked at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) since 2010 and is a spatial ecologist with an extensive background in wildlife habitat modeling. She works primarily with Dr. Julie Heinrichs and collaborates on numerous projects with federal partners. Current projects include investigating the effects of various management strategies on chronic wasting disease (CWD) prevalence using individual-based models, assessing connectivity of transboundary sage-grouse populations, analyzing species vulnerability assessments, and conducting invasion and landscape change analyses. Joanne received her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Zoology from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1991 and her Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the University of Alberta in 2005.
Jonathan Straube
Research Associate IV
Jonathan Straube, Information Technology (IT) Services Manager, has been with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) since 1997. His research-centric approach to information technology has supported research in many capacities, including desktop and software support, website development, short- and long-term data storage, field technology, administrative tools, budgeting, long-term IT strategic planning, managing communications and social media outreach, and participating in field research for several projects. As Mr. Straube describes it, his main role at NREL has been "facilitating information technology to enable good science." In 2013, Jonathan assumed the position of IT Manager for the Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP). This program collects long-term, high-quality ground-based UV-B measurements across 40 sites in the United States (U.S.) and several international locations. He supports the systems that collect daily measurements and makes the data publicly available through the [program's website](https://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu/UVB/). Jonathan completed his Master of Science (M.S.) in Ecology in 1991 and a Graduate Certificate in IT Project Management in 2021 from Colorado State University (CSU)..
Stephen Williams
Research Associate IV
Stephen Williams has more than 30 years of experience in ecosystem sciences, including research on hurricane forest recovery, elk grazing impacts, and more than twenty years modeling soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in local, regional, national, and international studies. He has also supported numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in their modeling efforts. He received his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina (USC) Coastal Carolina and his Master of Science (M.S.) in Physical Oceanography from the College of William and Mary (W&M) Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)..
Jake Coolidge
Research Associate III
Jake Coolidge researches and implements cartographic best practices for web-based interactive maps at the National Park Service (NPS). He designs the NPS basemap, coordinates with NPS Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data stewards on the development of enterprise datasets, and serves as a point of contact for NPS staff creating maps for NPS.gov. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Studio Art from the University of Washington (UW) and his Master of Arts (M.A.) in Geography from San José State University (SJSU).
Alisa Keyser
Research Associate III
Dr. Alisa Keyser works with the Dr. Stephen Ogle group at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). Her research focuses on using the DayCent model to understand the impacts of agricultural practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and soil carbon storage. Recent projects include modeling the impacts of climate-smart practices on the production of biofuel feedstock on existing cropland and examining land-use change to increase the production area of biofuel feedstock. She is also part of the team that produces the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory (NGHGI) each year. Dr. Keyser received her Master of Science (M.S.) in Forestry from the University of Montana (UM) and her Ph.D. in Environmental Systems from the University of California, Merced (UC Merced).
Greg McKittrick
Research Associate III
Greg McKittrick is a researcher focused on uncovering the biochemical features that make some organic molecules and soil proteins exceptionally resistant to microbial decomposition. His work integrates genomics, proteomics, and soil incubation experiments to inform scalable, plant-based carbon sequestration strategies.
Sarah Newman
Research Associate III
Sarah Newman is the Director of Operations for CitSci at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) and a co-founder of Colorado State University (CSU)'s Participatory Science Center (PSC). Her work focuses on scientific research questions that are best addressed with the participation of the public. She works with partners across the public and private sectors to develop collaborative approaches to complex environmental and societal challenges. CitSci is an international participatory science platform supporting more than 1,200 projects and over 20,000 participants. The PSC serves as a hub for inclusive, community-engaged research and participatory science across CSU and its community partners. Sarah holds a Master of Science (M.S.) from Florida State University (FSU), where she studied invasive species modeling.
Rodney Simpson
Research Associate III
Rodney Simpson is a Research Associate III who provides science support as the Research and Business Manager for EcoCore, a Colorado State University (CSU) Core Facility. He focuses on project management from a laboratory logistics perspective, generates project cost estimates, operates and maintains laboratory instrumentation, and promotes EcoCore's capabilities across campus and to the broader research community. Rodney holds certification as a Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) Certified Professional Soil Scientist and has degrees in Microbiology (Bachelor of Science (B.S.), CSU), Soil Science (Master of Science (M.S.), University of New Hampshire (UNH)), and Ecology (Ph.D., CSU).
Scott Simpson
Research Associate III
Scott Simpson is a Research Associate in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP), supporting research efforts by maintaining, repairing, upgrading, and calibrating solar radiation monitoring instruments and the associated data logging equipment. He also travels to network sites for routine maintenance of network instrumentation. He operates the suite of instruments in the program's in-house calibration laboratory, which measures the wavelength function and angular response of sensors used in the UVMRP network. He also supports the program by participating in special studies and evaluating next-generation instrumentation.
Guhan Dheenadayalan Sivakami
Research Associate III
Guhan is a computer programmer who works on software development, scripting, and database management for projects including Grass-Cast and CitSci, among others. He applies his technical skills to support the development and success of these projects. He graduated from Colorado State University (CSU) in 2012 with a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). [Filippelli, Steven] Steven Filippelli's work centers on natural resource applications of remote sensing, with a primary focus on developing improved methods for mapping changes in vegetation structure, particularly in woodland and savanna ecosystems. His current projects build on these research areas with applications both in Colorado and internationally. He is partnering with the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) of the United States Forest Service (USFS) to evaluate alternative ground-truth data sources for use in remote sensing models of tree canopy cover in Colorado. This work is part of an effort to improve Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) methods for estimating forest structure attributes at county and state levels across the Rocky Mountain region. His research has extended from woodlands in the western United States (U.S.) to mapping vegetation structure changes in the savannas of Kruger National Park in South Africa. This work involves collaborating with local park researchers and staff to develop an online platform for analyzing remote sensing-based tree cover maps and applying those maps to understand the impacts of elephants, fuelwood harvesting, and woody encroachment. Steven received his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of Florida (UF) in 2006, his Master of Science (M.S.) in Ecology from Colorado State University (CSU) in 2016, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Ecology at CSU, anticipated in 2026.
Robert Sturtevant
Research Associate III
Bob Sturtevant retired from the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), where he spent half of his career working in private and state land management, including managing the forest resources at the Colorado State Forest for nine years. The other half of his 33-year tenure focused on education and outreach to landowners, forester training, and university teaching. Bob now serves as an instructor, advisor, and researcher at Colorado State University (CSU). Working with the Evangelista Lab, he assists with forestry research and facilitates projects with the Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship (WRMES) master's program. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Forest Recreation and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Natural Resource Management, both from CSU. He is Past Chair of the Colorado–Wyoming State Society of American Foresters, Secretary for the International Forestry Working Group (IFWG), and Advisor for the Alpha Student Chapter. Bob is a Society of American Foresters (SAF) Certified Forester and a SAF Fellow.
Veronica Thompson
Research Associate III
Veronica is a Research Associate on Dr. Stephen Ogle's research team. As a computer programmer, she extends features of the DayCent model and writes scripts used for simulation management and output visualization. Veronica earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering (EE) and her Master of Science (M.S.) in Data Analytics (DA) from Colorado State University Global (CSU Global).
Rob Chohan
Research Associate II
Rob Chohan is a Maps for Web architect for the National Park Service (NPS), focusing on open-source map rendering engines, image and data processing, and open-source tools. These maps are used on NPS.gov and in the NPS mobile application. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mathematics and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Statistics, both from Oregon State University (OSU). He also holds several patents related to the calibration of imaging devices. Rob was the kid in the back of the car studying the map during road trips.
Christopher Choi
Research Associate II
Chris (Christopher Tsz Hin) Choi is an Ecological Analyst (Research Associate II) in the Ecological Research and Management Group (ERMG) at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research focuses on studying the effects of wildfire and forest carbon dynamics in the western United States (U.S.) using remote sensing and ecological modeling, and he recently contributed to the first Carbon Accounting Framework (CAF). Chris is also a master's student in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) at CSU and holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley).
Andie Conlon
Research Associate II
Andie Conlon works as the Outreach and Education Specialist for the Paustian Lab's Carbon Management and Evaluation Tool for Farms (COMET-Farm) team. In addition to providing ongoing customer support and communications for users of the COMET tools, she hosts weekly trainings and office hours for farmers, planners, researchers, and other users. Her recent work includes assisting in the development of the new Carbon Management and Evaluation Tool Planner (COMET-Planner) user interface, which launched on September 30, 2025. Andie received her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental Science from Santa Clara University (SCU) in 2017 and her Master of Science (M.S.) in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources (HDNR) from Colorado State University (CSU) in 2023.
Luqi Jiao Emanuele
Research Associate II
Luqi Jiao Emanuele is a Research Associate II. Her primary work focuses on statistical analysis to estimate uncertainty in emissions and contributing to Bayesian calibration efforts for emission models. She holds a Master of Applied Statistics (M.A.S.) from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State).
Julie Goodmann
Research Associate II
Julie Goodmann is a Web and Information Technology (IT) professional with a broad background in web design and support using HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and JavaScript (JS). Her IT experience also includes multiple programming languages, Structured Query Language (SQL) databases, data management, Visual Studio, C#, Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), project management, training, and facilitation. She currently partners with the United States National Park Service (NPS) on the Enterprise Application Development Team (EADT) as an NPGallery Developer and Data Manager. Julie holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science with a Business minor from Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames, Iowa, and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI) with an Insurance Professional designation. Explore the [National Park Service NPGallery Digital Asset Management System](https://npgallery.nps.gov/).
Flora Hamilton
Research Associate II
Flora is an Ecological Analyst (Research Associate II) with the Ecological Research and Management Group (ERMG). She specializes in rangeland management research, conducting comprehensive data analysis, modeling, and quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of both in situ and remotely sensed data. Currently, Flora focuses on assessing technologies for rangeland management, including virtual fencing and remote sensing methods to analyze grazing and vegetation distribution. She provides research support to multiple partners, including private land stewards, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
Shahriar Shah Heydari
Research Associate II
Shahriar is a Geospatial Analyst (Research Associate II) in Dr. Stephen Ogle's group at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). He joined NREL as a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Jody Vogeler on a land cover and land use change project after completing his Ph.D. in Environmental Resource Engineering at the State University of New York (SUNY), following a Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Resource Management from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). He leads a wide range of geospatial data analyses and remote sensing workflows, supporting multiple projects through advanced data management practices and extensive programming expertise. His primary work focuses on developing a national agricultural database that integrates high-resolution remote sensing, field data, and expert knowledge for more than one million locations across the United States (U.S.). He also applies deep learning (DL) models to generate land cover maps for agroforestry systems.
Mac Kramer
Research Associate II
Mac Kramer is a geographer from Portland, Oregon, currently working as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist for the Intermountain Regional Office (IMRO) of the National Park Service (NPS). His work focuses on GIS, cartography, and spatial data management in support of national park operations and resource management. He has extensive experience using Esri ArcGIS Pro and related applications, including Field Maps, Survey123, and Story Maps, within an enterprise GIS environment. He is familiar with NPS data conventions, standards, and file structures and produces maps and cartographic products for both print and digital use. His technical experience also includes the use of high-accuracy Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, including Trimble R1, Leica GG04, and Eos Arrow 100 and Gold Plus systems, for field data collection and post-processing. In addition, he has applied spatial analysis and cartographic design to produce maps for use in professional military education wargaming exercises.
Yesar Ahmed Oshan
Research Associate II
Yesar Ahmed Oshan is a data scientist and statistician with experience in environmental and public health research. His work focuses on managing and analyzing complex datasets, applying statistical and machine learning (ML) methods, and contributing quantitative insights to multidisciplinary research projects.
C Schwartz
Research Associate II
C Schwartz is a Research Associate II who joined the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) in July 2024. They support project management activities for Dr. Stephen Ogle and his team, including coordination of project timelines, meetings, staffing, and budgets, while also conducting research focused on preparing and compiling model inputs and data for the DayCent ecosystem model. They also contribute to a range of additional projects as needed. C Schwartz holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biological Science from Colorado State University (CSU) and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology, with a concentration in Integrative Biology, from San Francisco State University (SFSU).
Darrin Sharp
Research Associate II
Darrin Sharp manages the data processing infrastructure of the Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP). His responsibilities include administering the database where more than 30 years of network data are archived, providing programming support for new functionality requested by users in the scientific community, maintaining and updating code involved in the program's automated polling processes, and troubleshooting processing issues. He is also actively improving and extending UVMRP processes through automation, centralization of processing, implementation of source code control, archiving, data quality evaluations, and the inclusion of new processing algorithms. Darrin provides programming, data access, and editing support to internal and external researchers as they prepare and publish peer-reviewed scientific papers. In addition, he serves as the webmaster for the UVMRP website, which provides user-friendly, interactive access to UVMRP data. Darrin holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) and an M.S. from the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) at Colorado State University (CSU). He has held positions in both industry and academia, with a focus on working at the intersection of science and technology.
Eliza Walthers
Research Associate II
Eliza Walthers is a Research Associate in the Climate Solutions Laboratory (CSL) at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). As a member of the CSL's interdisciplinary team, she works on developing novel approaches for carbon sequestration in soil using plant systems. Eliza holds a Master of Science (M.S.) in Genetics from Oregon State University (OSU) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Medical Technology from the University of Vermont (UVM).
Daniel Rode
Research Associate I
Daniel joined the Vogeler Lab in the summer of 2023, soon after earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) from Colorado State University (CSU). He is an open-source enthusiast who enjoys using software developed by researchers and developers to process geospatial data. He began his career in Information Technology (IT) services but has long been interested in data and sustainability. His role in the Vogeler Lab allows him to apply his technical skills to ecological research. His primary expertise is developing command-line pipelines for light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and satellite imagery processing. Daniel contributes to several lab projects related to forest and woodland ecosystems, including monitoring redcedar expansion in Kansas and characterizing forest structure to support sustainable forest management planning across forests in the western United States (U.S.). He uses Linux as his primary operating system and focuses on workflows that are versatile, scalable, programmatically reproducible, and broadly accessible.
Jorge Luiz Locatelli
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., University of São Paulo. Postdoctoral advisor: Dr. Yao Zhang. Current NREL project: Discovery and Managing Critical Tradeoffs with. Dissertation: Crop Diversification Strategies' Effects on
Fernanda C. C. Oliveira
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil. Postdoctoral advisor: Rich Conant. Current NREL project: PLA–PHA biopolymers. Dissertation: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Soil Microbial
Orion Cardenas-Ritzert
M.S. Student
Advisor: Jody Vogeler. Thesis: Automated Geospatial Approach for
Amanda Longhi Cordeiro
Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Daniela Cusack. Thesis: Tropical Forest Root Characteristics and
Allison Kohler
Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Randall Boone. Thesis: Spatiotemporal agent-based model
Stephanie Lemas
M.S. Student
Advisor: Claudia Boot. Thesis: Rare Sugars in Soils: Insights on Their
Dana Musto
M.S. Student
Advisor: Sarah King. Thesis: Ecology of Bison Herbivory in North Rim
Laura van der Pol
Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Francesca Cotrufo. Thesis: Growing deeper: pathways to enhancing
Anna Shampain
M.S. Student
Advisor: Jill Baron. Thesis: 250 years of climate-mediated ecological
Sarah Whipple
Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Gillian Bowser. Thesis: Where have all the pollinators gone? An
Melody Zarria-Samanamud
Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Randall Boone. Thesis: Big data analysis and coupled
Brandon Budnicki
Graduate Research Assistant
Brandon Budnicki is a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) and the Lead Software Developer for CitSci.org. He develops communication and geospatial tools that help researchers and communities collaboratively collect environmental and ecological research data. As a Ph.D. student in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) at Colorado State University (CSU), his research focuses on improvements to the CitSci platform. His current work includes: (1) developing an open-source library for protecting location privacy when publishing research data, (2) creating methods to track the time and effort required across heterogeneous research protocols, and (3) using natural language processing (NLP) to provide projects with real-time feedback on data collection methodology. Brandon earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Management Information Systems (MIS) from the University of Minnesota (UMN). He plans to continue working on CitSci at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) after graduating in 2027.
Spencer Burkhart
Graduate Research Assistant
Spencer Burkhart is a Ph.D. student in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) at Colorado State University (CSU). His research models ranching systems in the shortgrass steppe of the western United States (U.S.). He integrates the L-Range ecosystem model with evolutionary programming to simulate forage dynamics, optimize virtual fencing strategies, and evaluate ecological–economic tradeoffs in rangeland management. His work examines how spatial grazing decisions, flexible stocking strategies, and climatic variability interact to shape ecosystem outcomes and ranch profitability. Spencer collaborates with producers, agency partners, and interdisciplinary teams to align emerging technologies, such as virtual fencing, with the realities of working rangelands. His research aims to develop a web-based decision-support tool that allows ranchers to explore how management practices influence ecological and economic outcomes, including associated virtual fencing plans. Spencer received his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) from Florida State University (FSU).
Cristal Dominguez-Vasquez
Graduate Research Assistant
Cristal Dominguez-Vasquez is co-developing a kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) curriculum on wild horses and burros in the United States (U.S.), funded by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). She is also researching the discourse surrounding their management to inform and strengthen the educational materials. Cristal earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (FWCB) from Colorado State University (CSU) and is currently a master's student in Ecosystem Science at CSU.
Miles Innes
Graduate Research Assistant
Miles Innes is a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL)'s Ecological Research and Management Group (ERMG). He is pursuing a master's degree through the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) at Colorado State University (CSU), advised by Tony Vorster. His research integrates remote sensing and vegetation field sampling to identify fine-scale drivers of post-fire forest recovery.
Meg Mahoney
Graduate Research Assistant
Meg Mahoney is a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) at Colorado State University (CSU). Her research focuses on the conservation genomics of white-tailed ptarmigan, including the evolutionary drivers of mating systems and how landscape and climatic features shape genetic variation.
Nicholas Parker
Graduate Research Assistant
Nicholas Parker is a Ph.D. candidate whose research focuses on the ecology and conservation of alpine birds and ecosystems. His work seeks to understand the drivers of white-tailed ptarmigan survival and habitat use in Colorado using a long-term dataset. Nicholas holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and a Master of Science (M.S.) from Kansas State University (KSU).
McKenna Short
Graduate Research Assistant
McKenna Short is a Ph.D. student at Colorado State University (CSU) working in collaboration with Utah State University (USU) and Cornell University. Her research focuses on developing sustainable beef production systems and exploring strategies to support more sustainable food and water systems for New York City (NYC). McKenna has a background in environmental health and safety and holds both a Master of Science (M.S.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She previously gained professional experience with Siemens Energy and Corning Inc., where she worked on hazard identification, risk assessment, sustainability reporting, and environmental safety practices.
Lauren Ackein
NREL Business Manager
Lauren joined the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) in January 2020 as a Research Project Manager, focusing on post-award financial administration, purchasing, and Human Resources (HR). She became Business Manager in March 2021. Since 2023, the Business Office has evolved into a pressure-forged team that handles high demands with resilience and clarity. Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) in Biology from Clark University (CU) and will complete her Master of Accounting (M.Acc.) from Colorado State University (CSU) this fall, culminating seven years of coursework that began with zero business credits and a great deal of determination.
Ty Boyack
NREL Senior IT Engineer
For more than 25 years, Ty has served the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) as an Information Technology (IT) Engineer, helping to build solutions that address technical challenges in both the scientific and operational work of the laboratory. He has always been drawn to deep technical solutions and strong human connections, and the work at NREL has created an environment that fosters both interests.
Rita LeJeune Deike
UVB Office Manager
Rita Deike provides essential administrative and accounting support that ensures the effective operation and long-term success of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP). Her role is important in maintaining the program's operational integrity by managing day-to-day activities; working with the director and staff to prepare project proposals, statements of work (SOWs), budgets, and budget justifications; and coordinating with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) and the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) staff to review, approve, and submit required documentation to sponsors. She also works with the director and program staff to develop and submit project progress reports, final reports, and key correspondence. Her role further supports the program's external partnerships by collaborating with subcontractors on reporting requirements and working with the Colorado State University (CSU) Contracts Office and network site operators on agreement updates. In addition, she ensures strong financial stewardship by processing purchase and travel documents, recording and tracking departmental expenditures, and verifying expenses for accurate project account reconciliation. Through these responsibilities, her work contributes to the program's scientific mission, fiscal accountability, and overall organizational effectiveness.
David Edwards-Bova
NREL Research Project Manager
David began his career with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) in January 2023 as a Research Project Manager, assisting the Business Office with managing Human Resources (HR), travel, finance, accounting, communications, student support staff, and general post-award administration. In 2025, he assumed the role of Research Proposal and Award Manager, adding pre-award management and proposal coordination to these responsibilities. Together with Susy and Lauren, he helps keep the NREL administrative engine moving. David will earn his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology from Colorado State University (CSU) this fall.
Susan Lutz
NREL HR
Susy plays a key role in front-office operations, assisting with salaried employee labor distributions, project spend-down calculators, minor budgetary oversight, and general Human Resources (HR) inquiries. [Reuss, Daniel, EcoCore Analytical Facilities Manager] Dan provides technical support as the Analytical Facilities Manager at EcoCore, a Colorado State University (CSU) [Core Facility](https://www.research.colostate.edu/cores/), operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the Ecocore's 6 capital instruments.
Rodney Simpson
EcoCore Manager
Rod provides science support as Research/Business Manager for EcoCore, which is a Colorado State University (CSU) [Core Facility](https://www.research.colostate.edu/cores/).
Jonathan Straube
NREL & UVB IT Manager
Jonathan Straube, Information Technology (IT) Services Manager, has been with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) since 1997. His research-centric approach to information technology has supported research in many capacities, including desktop and software support, website development, short- and long-term data storage, field technology, administrative tools, budgeting, long-term IT strategic planning, managing communications and social media outreach, and participating in field research for several projects. As Mr. Straube describes it, his main role at NREL has been "facilitating information technology to enable good science." In 2013, Jonathan assumed the position of IT Manager for the Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP). This program collects long-term, high-quality ground-based UV-B measurements across 40 sites in the United States (U.S.) and several international locations. He supports the systems that collect daily measurements and makes the data publicly available through the [program's website](https://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu/UVB/). Jonathan completed his Master of Science (M.S.) in Ecology in 1991 and a Graduate Certificate in IT Project Management in 2021 from Colorado State University (CSU).. # Facilities, Equipment & Other Resources