Our people

Meet our people

Faculty and staff at the College of Natural Resources are dedicated to mentoring and supporting students throughout their education and research journeys. Pursue exciting research opportunities in fields such as conservation biology, forest biometrics, pyroaerobiology, aquaculture, biomass utilization and more.

Student success

Looking for an advisor or recruiter? Visit CNR's student success website.

Meet our people

Departments

Leadership

Dennis Becker

Dean of the College of Natural Resources

Lee Vierling

Associate dean of research, university distinguished professor

Kerri Vierling

Associate dean; professor of wildlife resources
Fish and Wildlife Sciences

David Ausband

Assistant unit leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Jocelyn Aycrigg

Assistant research professor

Christopher Caudill

Professor of fisheries

Courtney Conway

Professor of Wildlife Sciences and unit leader of the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Matt Falcy

Assistant professor of biometrics and assistant unit leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Tracey Johnson

Director of research, Rinker Rock Creek Ranch associate professor

Brian Kennedy

Professor of fishery biology and ecology

Ryan Long

Associate professor of wildlife sciences

Simona Picardi

Assistant professor of wildlife ecology and management

Janet Rachlow

Professor of wildlife ecology

Dennis Scarnecchia

Professor of fisheries science and management

Brian Small

Professor of fish physiology, director of the Aquaculture Research Institute

Kerri Vierling

Associate dean; professor of wildlife resources

Lisette Waits

Distinguished professor of wildlife resources

Frank Wilhelm

Professor of limnology, department head, associate director, Center for Research on Invasive Species
Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences

Kristina Bartowitz

Research assistant professor of ecosystem ecology

Ryer Becker

Assistant research professor, forest operations and products manufacturing extension specialist

Luigi Boschetti

Professor of remote sensing

Randall Brooks

Extension professor of forestry and extension forestry specialist

Mark Coleman

Professor of forestry

Meghan Foard

Senior ecology instructor

Paul Gessler

Professor of remote sensing and geospatial ecology

Charles Goebel

Professor of forest ecosystem restoration and ecology and department head of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences 

Heather Heward

Senior fire ecology and management instructor

Tara Hudiburg

Professor of ecosystem ecology

K. Scott Jensen

Area extension educator

Jason W. Karl

Director of the U of I Rangeland Center, professor of rangeland ecology, and Harold F. and Ruth M. Heady Endowed Chair of Rangeland Ecology

Robert Keefe

Associate professor of forest operations and director of the University of Idaho Experimental Forest

Mark Kimsey

Research associate professor of forest resources and director of the Intermountain Forestry Cooperative

Leda Kobziar

Professor of wildland fire science, director of Master of Natural Resources Program

Karen Launchbaugh

Professor of rangeland ecology 

Timothy E. Link

Professor of hydrology; director, Water Resources Graduate Program

Armando McDonald

Distinguished professor of forest and sustainable products

Jessica Miesel

Associate professor of fire ecology

Andrew Nelson

Associate professor of forestry, director of Franklin H. Pitkin Forest Nursery, Tom A. Alberg and Judith Beck Endowed Chair of Native Plant Regeneration

Vladyslav Oles

Research assistant professor

Steven R. Shook

Professor of forest and sustainable products

Eric Winford

Research assistant professor of rangeland ecology and management, associate director of the Rangeland Center
Natural Resources and Society

Ming-Hsun Cheng

Assistant professor of energy and environment

Jan U.H. Eitel

Associate professor

Karla Eitel

Director, McCall Field Campus; professor of place-based environmental education

Mary Engels

Assistant professor

Nathan Moody

Instructor, natural resources management

Greg Latta

Associate research professor of forest economics; director, Policy Analysis Group

Travis Paveglio

Professor of natural resource sociology 

Chelsea Pennick (McIver)

Associate director of Policy Analysis Group and research assistant professor of natural resources policy and administration

David Roon

Environmental science program associate director, clinical assistant professor of conservation biology

David Smith

Assistant professor of land education

Jaap Vos

Professor of planning and natural resources; director of the environmental science program; department head

Kenneth E. Wallen

Associate professor of human dimensions of fish and wildlife

Patrick Wilson

Associate professor of natural resource policy

Chris Zajchowski

Assistant professor of parks, tourism and recreation ecology

Meet the dean

Welcome to the College of Natural Resources at University of Idaho.

This is an outstanding place to study, work and conduct research. The College of Natural Resources was ranked number one in value for education in 2018 and continues to be ranked among the top ten natural resources colleges in America by College Factual. Many of our individual programs are recognized as among the best.

Our faculty are innovative scientists whose widely-recognized work influences state and federal policy. They are also dedicated teachers and mentors who care about education and foster an environment that helps students grow by actively participating in research and field experiences throughout the state, region and around the globe.

As Idaho’s land-grant institution, we have a mission to provide practical education in the sciences. Students in the College of Natural Resources have many opportunities to gain hands-on field experiences in some of the best outdoor classrooms in the world—the forests, rangelands, rivers and mountains of Idaho. They have access to more than 10,000 acres in the University of Idaho Experimental Forests; the Pitkin Forest Nursery, the only operational research nursery at a university in the country; Taylor Wilderness Research Station in the middle of the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states; and the McCall Field Campus, home to Idaho’s only resident K-12 education program and to our new summer field camp for undergraduates.

You will launch a great career with a degree from the University of Idaho and the College of Natural Resources. Our graduates are in high demand, and our alumni are leaders around the world. I invite you to explore our departments, majors and graduate programs to discover the richness of what we have to offer.

The College of Natural Resources is an exciting place to be. I hope you will join us!

Go Vandals!

Dennis Becker, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Natural Resources