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.
Departments
Fish and Wildlife Sciences
David Ausband
Assistant unit leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
CNR, 102E
208-885-1172
Email David Ausband
Jocelyn Aycrigg
Assistant research professor
414 Phinney Hall
208-885-3901
Email Jocelyn Aycrigg
Kenneth Cain
Distinguished professor of aquaculture and fish health
Email Kenneth Cain
Christopher Caudill
Professor of fisheries
CNR, 105D
208-885-7614
Email Christopher Caudill
Courtney Conway
Professor of wildlife sciences, and unit leader of the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
CNR, 103E
208-885-6176
Email Courtney Conway
Matt Falcy
Assistant professor of biometrics, assistant unit leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
CNR, 105A
208-885-7120
Email Matt Falcy
Tracey N. Johnson
Director of research, Rinker Rock Creek Ranch
Associate Professor
Idaho Water Center, 242F
208-364-4633
Email Tracey Johnson
Brian Kennedy
Professor of fishery biology and ecology
IRIC, 316
208-885-5171
Email Brian Kennedy
Alan Kolok
Professor of ecotoxicology, director emeritus, Idaho Water Resources Research Institute
CNR, 104D
208-885-5771
Email Alan Kolok
Ryan Long
Associate professor of wildlife sciences
CNR, 103C
208-885-7225
Email Ryan Long
Jie (Jessie) Ma
Research assistant professor
CNR, 105D
208-301-0884
Email Jie Ma
Simona Picardi
Assistant professor of wildlife ecology and management
CNR, 103F
208-885-2076
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Michael Quist
Professor of fisheries management and assistant unit leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
CNR, 102E
208-885-4064
Email Michael Quist
Janet Rachlow
Professor of wildlife ecology
CNR, 105B
208-885-9328
Email Janet Rachlow
Dennis Scarnecchia
Professor of fisheries science and management
Phinney Hall, 315
208-885-5981
Email Dennis Scarnecchia
Brian Small
Professor of fish physiology, director of the Aquaculture Research Institute
Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station
208-837-9096 ext. 1108
Email Brian Small
Kerri Vierling
Director of CNR graduate studies, professor of wildlife resources
CNR, 105E
208-885-5378
Email Kerri Vierling
Lisette Waits
Distinguished professor of wildlife resources
CNR, 103D
208-885-7823
Email Lisette Waits
Frank Wilhelm
Department head of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, associate director for Center for Research on Invasive Species, professor of limnology
CNR, 104E
208-885-7218
Email Frank Wilhelm
Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences
Kristina Bartowitz
Research assistant professor of ecosystem ecology
IRIC, 118
Email Kristina Bartowitz
Ryer Becker
Assistant research professor, forest operations and products manufacturing extension specialist
CNR, 205E
208-874-2698
Email Ryer Becker
Luigi Boschetti
Professor of remote sensing
CNR, 203E
208-885-6508
Email Luigi Boschetti
Randall Brooks
Extension professor of forestry and extension forestry specialist
CNR, 102B
208-885-6356
Email Randall Brooks
Stephen Bunting
Professor emeritus of rangeland ecology
Email Steve Bunting
Lili Cai
Assistant professor of forest and sustainable products
CNR, 203C
208-885-8638
Email Lili Cai
Mark Coleman
Professor of forestry
CNR, 102A
208-885-7604
Email Mark Coleman
Meghan Foard
Senior ecology instructor
PHI, B12
208-885-7952
Email Meghan Foard
Paul Gessler
Professor of remote sensing and geospatial ecology
CNR, 17C
Email Paul Gessler
Charles Goebel
Professor of forest ecosystem restoration and ecology and department head of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences
CNR, 204A
208-885-7311
Email Charles Goebel
Heather Heward
Senior fire ecology and management instructor
PHI, B10
208-885-6454
Email Heather Heward
Tara Hudiburg
Professor of ecosystem ecology
CNR, 204D
208-885-7044
Email Tara Hudiburg
K. Scott Jensen
Area extension educator — rangeland
IWC, 242
Email Scott Jensen
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
CNR, 205D
208-885-0255
Email Jason W. Karl
Robert Keefe
Associate professor of forest operations, director of the University of Idaho Experimental Forest
PHI, B17
208-310-0269
Email Robert Keefe
Mark Kimsey
Research associate professor of forest resources, director of the Intermountain Forestry Cooperative
Phinney, 210
208-885-7520
Email Mark Kimsey
Leda Kobziar
Professor of wildland fire science, director of master of Natural Resources Program
208-292-2683
Email Leda Kobziar
Karen Launchbaugh
Professor of rangeland ecology
CNR, 205B
208-885-4394
Email Karen Launchbaugh
Timothy E. Link
Professor of hydrology; director, Water Resources Graduate Program
CNR, 203B
208-885-9465
Email Timothy Link
Armando McDonald
Distinguished professor of forest and sustainable products
CNR, 102D
208-885-9454
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Jessica Miesel
Associate professor of fire ecology
CNR, 205C
Email Jessica Miesel
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
CNR, 102C
208-885-1004
Email Andrew Nelson
Vladyslav Oles
Research assistant professor of geospatial and data analysis
PHI, B16
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Steven Shook
Professor of forest and sustainable products
CNR, 202A
208-885-6802
Email Steve Shook
Eric Winford
Research assistant professor of rangeland ecology and management, associate director of the Rangeland Center
208-364-3176
Email Eric Winford
Natural Resources and Society
Ming-Hsun Cheng
Assistant professor of energy and environment
CAES, 257 — Idaho Falls
208-533-8102
Email Ming-Hsun Cheng
Jan U.H. Eitel
Associate professor
McCall Field Campus
208-596-9277
Email Jan Eitel
Karla Eitel
Director, McCall Field campus. professor of place-based environmental education
McCall Field Campus
Email Karla Eitel
Mary Engels
Assistant professor
CNR, 19G
208-885-5804
Email Mary Engels
Nathan Moody
Instructor — natural resources management
CNR, 17
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Greg Latta
Associate research professor of forest economics
Director of Policy Analysis Group
CNR, 17B
541-619-9212
Email Greg Latta
Travis Paveglio
Professor of natural resource sociology
CNR, 19I
Email Travis Paveglio
Chelsea Pennick (McIver)
Associate director of policy analysis group, research assistant professor of natural resources policy and administration
Email Chelsea Pennick (McIver)
David Roon
Environmental Science Program associate director, clinical assistant professor of conservation biology
CNR, 105G
208-885-0129
Email David Roon
David E.K. Smith
Assistant professor of land-based education
McCall Field Campus
Email David E.K. Smith
Jaap Vos
Professor of planning and natural resources, director of the Environmental Science Program and department head, Natural Resources and Society
Water Center, 242G
208-364-4595
Email Jaap Vos
Kenneth E. Wallen
Associate professor of human dimensions of fish and wildlife
CNR, 19E
208-885-7132
Email Kenneth E. Wallen
Patrick Wilson
Associate professor of natural resource policy
Email Patrick Wilson
J.D. Wulfhorst
Professor of rural sociology and environmental science
CNR, 17A
208-885-2572
Email J.D. Wulfhorst
Chris Zajchowski
Assistant professor of parks, tourism and recreation ecology
CNR, 19H
Email Chris Zajchowski
Student success
Looking for an advisor or recruiter? Visit CNR's student success website.
Dennis Becker
Lee Vierling
Kerri Vierling
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