BERGER LAB

Lischu Lih doing field work on Ibex in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia.

CURRENT LAB MEMBERS

MINH NGUYEN

Vietnam

I am a PhD student, and focus on questions about biodiversity in Southeast Asia.  My current concentration is on the highly endangered Large-Antlered Muntjac where I focus on the snaring crisis.  I hope to learn more about animal densities and movements and apply the findings to the species conservation. Specifically, I am comparing sex differences in vulnerability of death by snares by examining correlates of perceived danger in four species – including Sambar and Serow.

Read more: Saving the endangered “barking deer” of Vietnam and Laos | Conservation Careers (conservation-careers.com)

Jamie Begay

JAMIE BEGAY

Navajo Nation

Jamie (pictured left) is a Masters student focusing on questions about the movement biology of desert bighorn sheep, especially rams, as they interact with traditional Navajo domestic sheep herds and may serve as disease conduits.  Prior wildlife work experience on Navajo lands includes study of pseudoscorpions and mule deer, deployment of GPS collars, disease testing for wild bighorns, interviews with domestic sheep herd families in remote areas, hunter check stations, and surveys by land, by raft, and air.

RECENT PAST LAB MEMBERS

DR. FOREST HAYES

(PhD – CSU, 2023).  My PhD focused on impacts of climate change on cold-adapted species in which I developed novel analytical methods to leverage small data sets and integrated technology with field research.  I focused on how the loss of snow in peri-glacial environments impacts high elevation species but used evidence from mountain goats to raise further challenges.  I’m currently a postdoc in the Colorado Wildlife Cooperative Unit based at CSU. 

DR. THERESA LAVERTY

(PhD – CSU, 2019).  My science is motivated by applied research questions, though the findings often have broad ecological implications that test theory. Using carefully designed field studies, I research the behavior of wildlife populations and ecology of communities.  I am an Assistant Professor in Ecology at New Mexico State University. 

DR. STEFAN EKERNAS

(PhD – University of Montana, 2016).  I direct the North American Conservation Program for the Denver Zoo where the focus is ecologically-based studies to facilitate conservation at either the urban-wild-land interface or disease transmission (wild and domestic sheep) on the Navajo Nation.  Prior to this I studied Argali sheep in the Gobi Steppe (Mongolia) and a statistical ecologist for the USGS.

WESLEY SARMENTO

 (MS – University of Montana, 2015).  Prior to accepting my current position as a grizzly bear conflict biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, I was a wildlife technician in Kenya, and also a National Geographic Fellow in Mongolia.  My Master’s research with Joel concentrated on mountain goat ecology. 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

 

  • Dr. John Goodrich – (prior grad student in Berger lab at University of Nevada, Reno) – current, Chief Scientist, Panthera (https://www.panthera.org/people/john-goodrich-phd), and leads Panthera’s global wild cat conservation science and strategy, policy positions and development of new areas in which Panthera can make a lasting impact on cat conservation.
  • Dr. Janet Rachlow – (prior grad student in Berger lab at University of Nevada, Reno) – current, Professor at University of Idaho (http://rachlowlab.weebly.com/), and whose research focuses on the ecology and conservation of mammals and their habitats.  
  • Dr. Matthew Gompper – (postdoc from Berger Lab at University of Nevada, Reno) – current Department Head and Professor, New Mexico State University (https://sites.google.com/site/gompperlab/people/matt-gompper-supreme-commander) – mammalian ecology with focus on  1) how resource subsidies influence predator populations and patterns of biodiversity; 2) micro- and macroparasite populations, and 3)  resource competition as related to, pathogen susceptibility and intra-guild predation.  
  • Kevin White – (prior grad student in Berger Lab at University of Nevada, Reno) – current, Research Biologist – Alaska Department of Fish and Game (http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=797) – with a focus on large mammals  for two decades – now a groundbreaking PhD student at University of Victoria.
  • Dr. Linda Kerley – (prior grad student in Berger lab at University of Nevada, Reno) – current, Adviser and Scientist for Wild Cats Conservation Alliance (https://conservewildcats.org/tag/dr-linda-kerley/) where she focuses on Amur leopard ecology and conservation
  • Dr. Julie Young – (postdoc from Berger Conservation Group at Wildlife Conservation Society) – current, Associate Professor at Utah Stater University where she focused on carnivore conservation and predator-prey relations.
  • Dr. Jedidiah Brodie  – – (postdoc from Berger Conservation Group at Wildlife Conservation Society)– current Craighead Chair, University of Montana) (https://jedediahbrodie.weebly.com/) – with a focus on population and macroecology, lanbdscape connectivity, and species interactions. 
  • Dr. Jon Beckmann – (prior grad student in Berger lab at University of Nevada, Reno) – was a senior biologist at WCS for eighteen years before assuming responsibilities for research design and execution in Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; with efforts on ecology and conservation of mammals and birds.    

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS WHO CAMPED OUT IN BERGER LAB

 

  • Dr. Aili Kang – (to University of Montana) – current, Asia Director, Wildlife Conservation Society 
  • Debby Ng – Exchange Grad student, from University of Tasmania to Colorado State University, Current – PhD student at National University of Singapore
  • Dr. Dusko Cirovic – Fulbright Scholar (form Serbia) to Colorado State University (current, Professor – University of Belgrade)
  • Dr. Alexander Gruzdev – as Head of Wrangel Island Biosphere reserve (Russia) to University of Montana, Current – Head – Wrangel Island Biosphere Reserve (Chukotka, Russia)
  • Dr. B. Lhagvasuren – (to University of Montana) as representative of Mongolian Academy of Sciences – current, deceased 
  • Dr. Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar — (to University of Montana) as representative of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, current, Lead, Mongolian Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society 
  • Dr. Mathieu Pruvot  – (to Colorado State University) as Visiting Scientist; currently, faculty at University of Calgary
  • Lishu Li – (from China to University of Montana as graduate student); currently, Lead International Trade – Wildlife Conservation Society
  • Dr. Cristobal Briceno – (from Chile to Colorado State University as Visiting Scholar); currently, Professor, University of Chile, Santiago
  • Dr. Tiger Sangay – (from Bhutan to University of Montana); currently, Ugyen Wangchuck Institute, Bhutan