Faculty mentors help CNR students grow through research partnerships

Mentorship Matters

For the College of Natural Resources (CNR), faculty mentorship allows students to gain valuable insight into the scientific process and make career-building connections within the various industries of natural resources. Discover the shared experiences of four faculty and student pairs as they build professional rapport alongside their research projects.

Natural Resources and Society

In Idaho, there are 30 state parks registered by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR). Each park holds a rich, diverse history that often goes unknown to its visitors — until now.

Chris Zajchowski, assistant professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Society, and Amber Hawes, a doctoral student in environmental science, are working with Idaho State Parks (ISP) to develop interpretive themes for each of Idaho’s state parks. Interpretive themes refer to the deeper meanings and messages that parks want visitors to take away from their visit.

“Oftentimes, interpretation is specifically focused on meaning-making or answering the question of ‘why this matters’,” Hawes said. “With this project, we’re trying to show that interpretive themes aren’t just a bunch of facts. We’re making signage that educates visitors on the park’s biodiversity, history and relationship with the area.”

Zajchowski and Hawes collaborate with park experts to determine which meanings and stories a park wants told and then analyze that park’s existing media, such as educational trail signs or videos in a visitor center, to determine how well they are capturing those current themes. This analysis culminates in a foundational document for each park that can be used to assist with park training and inform future initiatives for interpretive media development.

“Working with Chris, I always feel this sense of ‘I’m part of this’,” Hawes said. “We’re in this together, and our passion for making meaningful content for the public shows in that collaboration.”

Hawes is finishing the work that a previous master’s student began. She will visit nine parks to analyze their existing signage and interview park experts to capture their vision for the new themes.

In addition to their research, Hawes co-teaches an environmental communications class with Zajchowski, which has allowed her to strengthen her teaching skills. This teaching model has prepared Hawes to take over as the lead instructor for the course after she gains more teaching experience during her program. Whether they’re working on a new interpretive theme document or preparing a lesson plan, Hawes explains how Zajchowski’s mentorship style is one rooted in parity, empowerment and collaboration.

“Whenever I come in with a suggestion or an idea — whether that’s for research or for teaching — I can tell he’s really listening and that he cares about what I'm saying,” she said. “When I’m talking with Chris, it feels like an actual conversation. I feel very empowered to make decisions.”

As for Zajchowski, this collaborative approach to mentorship is exactly what he’s trying to accomplish.

“Mentorship is putting people in places where they can be successful and letting them be successful,” Zajchowski said. “It’s a bi-directional relationship. When we’re making lesson plans or revising an interpretive document, it’s a brainstorm.”

Zajchowski also hopes that his mentorship will provide Hawes with opportunities that will help her flourish in her doctoral program and beyond, whether that be with IDPR or another organization that needs people like Hawes to help educate others on public recreational land.

“I feel great knowing that Chris is going to continue supporting and helping me come up with ideas no matter what direction it ends up going,” Hawes said.

Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences

If wood is heated to an extreme temperature, its chemical makeup can be altered to such an extent that the amount of moisture it absorbs over time decreases.

For her senior capstone project, Grace Ruble, who is majoring in forest and sustainable products, is developing a new thermally modified wood product with resistance to water damage for building construction.

“This new product will hopefully provide businesses with a sustainable yet efficient product that will minimize major issues like molding, warping and swelling,” Ruble said.

Armando McDonald, a distinguished professor in the Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, is mentoring Ruble through her project. Their first collaboration was in McDonald’s undergraduate research lab, where Ruble conducted research on recycled plastics and has since completed other projects in his lab. After learning that McDonald would be overseeing her capstone project, Ruble was thrilled.

“Even though I’m an undergrad, Dr. McDonald treats me with the professionality and high-achieving expectations of a graduate student,” she said. “Even to the point of letting me use all the expensive machinery in the lab!”

She describes McDonald’s mentorship style as supportive and hands-off.

“When we are in the lab, we’re really encouraged to discover things via trial and error,” Ruble said. “Even if my experiment fails, he’s really supportive, because I’m still learning.”

McDonald describes his mentorship style as “steering the boat” with his students. Instead of maintaining full control, McDonald prefers to guide his students toward beneficial skills that go beyond academia.

“Whatever industry you pursue, you’re going to need good oral and communication skills,” McDonald said. “When I’m mentoring a student, I really focus on teaching them how to speak publicly or write a good conference paper.”

For Ruble, she knows these communications skills could help her one day when working with inspectors or stakeholders.

Even though McDonald gives Ruble plenty of independence, he still values discipline and hard work. For him, pushing students outside their comfort zone motivates them to do their best.

“They’ve really got to understand that what you put in is what you get out,” he said. “That’s what makes a successful career.”

And when a student rises to the occasion, McDonald couldn’t be prouder.

“Seeing students succeed is really a good thing,” McDonald said. “It’s like a parent seeing their children go off to college. You feel quite proud that they’ve gone past these milestones, especially when you see a student graduate and moving onto their next adventure. That’s rewarding.”

Fish and Wildlife Sciences

Bighorn sheep are prone to lethal respiratory diseases, the most prominent being bighorn pneumonia. But a large herd living in the John Day River Canyon in central Oregon is not just surviving but thriving disease-free.

In 2023, Alexis Means, a master’s student in fish and wildlife sciences, applied for a research assistantship posted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and Ryan Long, a professor of wildlife sciences at U of I. The position was for one of Long’s recent studies focusing on the bighorn sheep population in the John Day River Canyon. Long was asking why this specific population was thriving in numbers, while many other bighorn sheep populations across the western United States were prone to high disease and mortality rates due to disease contracted from domestic livestock.

Out of over 50 applicants, Means stood out due to her previous experience as a project lead on a research project directed by Courtney Conway, a professor of wildlife sciences at U of I, studying sage grouse and cattle grazing in southern Idaho.

“We needed someone who had extensive ecology knowledge and field experience, since this job requires months of solitary work in a remote area,” Long said.

Means also demonstrated strong communication skills, which was another quality Long was searching for in a student. As the majority of the bighorn sheep population can only be accessed through private property, working well with landowners was a prerequisite for a successful project.

“We weren’t going to be risking those relationships that ODFW had worked so hard to establish,” Long said. “Alexis is extremely personable, and very thoughtful in the way she communicates with people. That was a big draw that set her apart.”

After joining his lab, Means began her work in the John Day Canyon collecting samples of various plants the sheep were eating and assessing their availability to understand the nutritional value of each food source. Long notes that Means excels in her coding and analytical skills, and that she helped put GPS trackers on the sheep to study their use of the foodscape within the canyon.

Long said his mentorship approach mirrors the guidance he received from his master’s professor, Janet Rachlow, a U of I professor of wildlife ecology.

“Janet played a supportive role while I conducted research, but she also gave me a lot of independence that let me follow the route I wanted to take with my project at the time,” Long said. “I use a similar strategy with Alexis. I’m more hands-off while she’s in the thick of collecting data, but I’m always available so she can come to me any time she needs to.”

His mentorship, then, is individually tailored to each student based on capabilities rather than academic standing.

Additionally, everyone in Long’s lab leans on each other, Means said. In fact, Long promotes the motto “doing good science with good people.”

“Being able to connect and collaborate with a variety of colleagues in Long’s lab has been extremely valuable, and a really important part of producing strong science,” Means said.

Long ensures that a positive environment is cultivated by hosting fun, easygoing events such as lab potlucks and even an elk-calling session with his graduate students.

“Ryan’s built an amazing community among the grad students,” Means said. “We rely on each other a lot, and it honestly feels more like working with friends than coworkers. That supportive environment has made a huge difference in my experience and is one of the most rewarding parts of being in his lab.”

Environmental Science

The annual industry-focused Foresters Forum hosts hundreds of Inland Northwest forestry professionals to connect, collaborate and present new ideas. Thanks to a CNR alumni connection, current environmental science students are now able to attend as well.

About 10 years ago, Greg Latta, associate research professor of forest economics, mentored Chad Washington, a master’s student at U of I. Latta took Washington to multiple industry and academia workshops, exposing him to a wide range of perspectives and career opportunities.

“These are the experiences and networking opportunities that played a key role in getting Chad to work for Nuveen Natural Capital,” Latta said while referencing the land-focused asset management organization based in Oregon.

A few years later, Washington called Latta to reminisce and discussed how the workshops and conferences they attended greatly advanced his career opportunities. The two brainstormed how to provide similar experiences for undergraduate students.

Financial support arose as the limiting factor for student travel. Washington reached out to his boss to explore how Nuveen could help, and with approval secured, they focused on sending students to attend the Forester’s Forum hosted by Northwest Management Inc. (NMI) and Riley Stegner and Associates (RS) at the Coeur d’Alene Resort since February 2023.

“The students I bring are directly exposed to the forestry profession, something that doesn’t often occur until they’re out of college,” Latta said. “Because of the help from our sponsors, they’re able to get a head start on their post-graduate careers.”

With Latta covering transportation, NMI and RS assisted with reduced registration and hotel costs. Nuveen provided the bulk of the funding and has sent 18 students over four years to the conference.

One of these students, Kate Wetmore, describes how attending the forum benefited her academically and professionally.

“I was able to reconnect with a few familiar faces in the industry, catching up on life while also discussing future opportunities,” Wetmore said. “I also built new connections with individuals who shared insights and job leads that I would not have discovered on my own.”

In addition to networking, Wetmore attended presentations from specialized forestry sectors she was previously unfamiliar with.

“Seeing how the timber industry operates across distinct specializations helped me to realize there is a lot to be discovered,” Wetmore said. “I feel that this realization will help me to approach my career search with a lot more confidence and curiosity.”

In addition, an asset manager from Nuveen joined Latta and the students for a casual dinner, an opportunity for the students to ask a working industry professional forester questions.

“It’s a neat kind of mentoring opportunity, as students get not only a one-on-one with me, but also a one-on-one with a professional forester who shares their career path,” Latta said.

Previously, Washington hosted this dinner, but for the last two years, Matt Roscoe — a Nuveen asset manager — has taken on the role.

Latta, Wetmore and the other students who attended the 2026 forum express their immense gratitude to Nuveen, NMI and RS for their support.

“It’s truly an incredible experience these students are getting,” Latta said. “They’re learning the things I wish I knew when I was their age, so I truly appreciate everything Nuveen, NMI and RS are doing for them.”