How did you become interested in conservation biology, fire and landscape ecology?
I’ve enjoyed the outdoors since I was very young, including summer camping trips with my parents and family, and that’s probably the start of my interests in conservation and ecology! The smells, sounds, seeing and feeling of being outside re-charge me. That family-recreational enjoyment of being outside started to build into a more formal interest with my first summer field job – monitoring painted turtles and snapping turtles in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. I loved the full-on days of field work and the focused observational nature of the work. It was the start of recognizing that I really enjoy the puzzles and process of research. My interests grew from that start in zoology to field studies in avian ecology, landscape ecology and entomology and fire ecology. I guess I have a generalist ecology spirit…aiming for a holistic ecological approach. In that generalist space, it’s becoming clear that fire touches all aspects of ecosystems and people in so many different ways – and that’s a motivating space to be in.

What are you currently researching?
The lab group covers a lot of ideas and projects in the work we’re all doing together, all with an element of fire ecology and landscapes. I like to use the word “pyrogeography” for the work we do, since it brings together the idea of place, people and ecology all together as a social-humanities and biophysical study of fire. One topic that I’ve been working on for a while now is the concept of fire refugia. Fire refugia are locations on the landscape that burn at lower severity and provide important heterogeneity in ecosystems. In casual terms, I think of these parts of the landscape as moving in the “slow lane” of change. One example of the impact from that work is we’ve developed a suite of quantitative, predictive fire refugia models that are being integrated into vegetation management decisions and landscape project planning – I’m proud the work we’re doing is being applied by folks doing work on the ground. I’m also serving on the Northwest Forest Plan Federal Advisory Committee (FAC), contributing ideas and effort to modernizing federal forest policy for the region. This committee work has been amazing in the teamwork, learning and trust the FAC has built together, dedicated to a better future of forests and society in the region. I’m honored to be a part of that process.

What’s your favorite part about working with students?
For me, working with students means learning with students. The most amazing part of learning together is seeing new perspectives and ideas, and supporting students in finding their path. What work you do is important, and even more so it’s important how you do it. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some pretty inspiring and amazing students over the years – and that includes folks in the lab group right now.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Spending time with family and exploring! My husband Mark, and our ten-year-old twins Annabelle and Ben are my favorite people to spend time with. Whether it’s a weekend hike, cross-country pseudo-backcountry skiing, a drive to the coast, baking, puttering in the garden or family movie night – that time with family is what keeps me going.

What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title?
Quite honestly, I don’t get much time to read for fun these days, but nighttime reading with the kids is still a real treat. We’re reading “Swallows and Amazons” now in that wonderful bedtime ritual, and have gone through the “Harry Potter” sequence, and recently some kids history books that have been fun.