Welcome to my personal homepage!
I am a Professor in the Geography Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My research concerns the sociopolitical dimensions of biodiversity conservation, with particular emphasis on protected areas, wildlife and land use conflicts in the tropics. I have long-term field studies in Uganda, Ecuador and Peru, and have taught in Uganda, Chile and Ecuador as a Fulbright fellow. In addition to my work in the tropics, I study public attitudes toward wolves and other wildlife in Wisconsin. I directed UW-Madison’s Land Tenure Center (2009-2013) and Chaired the Nelson Institute’s graduate program in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development in 2007-2010 (now the Environmental Conservation Professional Master’s Program).
I earned my B.Sc. (Geography and Zoology) and M.Sc. (Geography) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I earned my Ph.D. (Wildlife Ecology and Conservation) from the University of Florida, Gainesville. I also enjoyed spending two years at Princeton University, first as a postdoctoral fellow in the Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and then as a visiting research scientist at the Princeton Environmental Institute.
The tabs above provide basic information about my interests and my work with a wonderful group of graduate students and other collaborators.