Research

Biographical Sketch

Education

As the administrator of multiple programs related to compliance with federal regulations since 2008, I have developed the philosophy that the regulations were written due to concerns about the manner in which research has been conducted historically. But regulations cannot be written to address all types of research.  Therefore each project must be considered based on the activities involved. The project design and requirements for approval should be indexed to the specific concerns for that activity. This, in fact, is the basis for the structure of the regulations governing research using humans as subjects (45 CFR 46). Ultimately, programs that promote ethical conduct and support the validity of research will almost always exceed the regulatory requirements and expectations of society. The “compliance” aspects of this position relate to: documenting agreements and protocols, ensuring committees are properly composed, maintaining program related licenses and registrations, investigating potential research misconduct, and ensuring controlled substances security.

I am interested in identifying and developing indices of ecological processes, particularly those processes affected by a potentially changing climate. Expressing physiological based processes at a landscape scale is fraught with quantitative difficulties. For this reason I am interested in developing relevant indices of ecological behavior that are practical for modeling at a landscape scale.

Biology Department - A teaching position: Environmental Biology and Fundamentals of Ecology. Approximately 240 students per semester.

Botany Department: A teaching position: Introductory Botany for non-majors (~200 students two semesters, Ecology of North America (80 students, one semester), Plant Ecology (upper-level/graduate, 24 students).
 

Expanding upon previous research, the goal of this project is to cast forest productivity in the North Central region in an ecological framework. Once completed, this will allow estimates of potential productivity under current conditions as well as the affect of differing management regimes, changing climate, and changing land-use patterns on potential productivity. Secondarily, I continue to study tree-level physiology as described below and lecture in the introductory biometrics class as needed. Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Shifley.

My primary responsibility in this position was to collaborate with Forest Service scientists on an assessment of timber resources in the North Central Region. Funding for this project was provided by FIA and the North Central Research Station. That work relied heavily on the analysis and interpretation of FIA data for the North Central Region and the rest of the United States. The primary publication resulting from this research, The Status of Timber Resources in the North Central Region ill soon be available on-line. Secondary research in my current position involves: i) physiological response differences of outplanted oak saplings cultivated using different nursery and establishment methods (in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Conservation and Forest Keeling Nursery, and Dan Dey, USFS), ii) physiologic response of two oak species planted under differing soil treatments at a Long-Term Soil Productivity site (in collaboration with Felix Ponder, USFS) iii) an ongoing study of the influence of mast production on vegetative growth, iv) the influence of shading and pot color on rooting media temperature (in collaboration with J. Van Sambeek, USFS), v) supervising one undergraduate research technician, and vi) submitting research proposals to the NSF and other agencies relating to nutrient cycling, carbon allocation, and ecophysiology. In addition to this research, I have substitute lectured in biometrics and photogrametry classes. Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Shifley.

I developed a landscape level model of mast production as part of my graduate program.  The parameters for the model were generated using FIA and local inventory data with respect to ecological land types.  Natural variation in masting behavior was modeled using the probability of the occurrence of weather favorable to flowering and inherent variation among species and trees. This involved collaboration with Missouri Department of Conservation scientists studying mast production.  In addition, I provided research support for NCRS scientists including GIS development, PC support, data analysis and assisted in teaching an introductory natural resources biometrics class.  Supervisors: Dr. Frank Thompson, Dr. Robert Cecich, and Dr. David Larsen

I taught the laboratory portion of a course in basic forest measurements (four 25-student sections) while preparing previous research for publication and developing a graduate program proposal.  Supervisor:  Dr. Harold Burkhart

I was responsible for plot establishment and initial data collection for a research project designed to model CO2 evolution from the forest floor at a landscape scale. This research was conducted at an NSF Long-term Ecological Research Site in North Carolina, where I was stationed. As part of this research, I designed and built automated multi-channel gas exchange samplers adaptable for observing diurnal patterns of forest floor, bole, and/or foliar respiration. I supervised two technicians and assisted several undergraduate interns on their projects. Supervisor: Dr. James Vose

I collected baseline ecophysiology and microclimate data for a study of mature hardwood stands at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, North Carolina, a Long-term Ecological Research Site.  The goal of the study was to develop parameters for a landscape scale model of forest productivity.  During the academic year I was a teaching assistant for a basic forest measurements class (4 lab sections). Supervisor: Dr. Paul Bolstad.

In relation to graduate studies, I conducted an NSF funded study of leaf litter decomposition from 1989 to 1991 at the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, an NSF Long-term Ecological Research Site. Concurrently I was responsible for i) the field and lab aspects of a study of the fate of 15N labeled ammonium in a tropical riparian zone, ii) a GIS study of land available in New Hampshire for biosolids application under current and proposed policies, and iii) analyses of plant community development and dynamics on a clearcut in Maine. Supervisors: Dr. Breck Bowden and Dr. William McDowell.

I had administrative responsibility for a 160-student course in freshwater resources (1 semester) and weekly teaching responsibility for several 30-student sections (3 semesters). Supervisor:  Dr. Breck Bowden. 

I developed harvest plans, monitored reforestation and herbicide application contractors and assisted in land-lease and road easement surveys.  Supervisor:  Thomas Dodd

I was the foreman of two surveying crews for a riparian rights project.  I trained personnel, surveyed reservoirs, and managed the data we collected.   I also completed 12 Class-A fence and road easement surveys totaling 45 miles and acted as a supplemental district fire crewmember.   Supervisor: Michael Jensen.