Ember Bradbury | Ph.D. in Ecology, Spring 2026 | Ember’s dissertation focused on combining precision restoration and ecofeminist frameworks to develop restoration strategies to alleviate abiotic and biotic barriers to seedling recruitment in dryland ecosystems, in collaboration with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and RestoreNet in Southwestern Colorado.

Emily Swartz | Ph.D in Ecology, Spring 2026 | Emily’s dissertation focused on using precision-based restoration strategies to improve the establishment of native plant communities in dryland ecosystems in collaboration with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Southwest Colorado and the RestoreNet network across the southwestern US. Emily now works as the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator for the City of Boulder, Colorado.

John Bacovcin | M.S. in Rangeland Ecosystem Science, Fall 2023 | John’s master’s thesis focused on understanding the effects of biocrusts on plant germination. His projects included (1) a global meta-analysis of the influence of morphological seed traits on the effects of biocrusts on germination, and (2) a greenhouse project exploring the effects of biocrust inoculum on seedling recruitment. John now works as a Rangeland Management Specialist for the U.S. Forest Service.

Emma Enebo | B.S., Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Spring 2022 | Emma’s undergraduate honors thesis in the Dryland Ecology and Management Lab (co-advised by Dr. Troy Ocheltree) explored how plant functional traits affect competitive outcomes between native plant communities and invasive annual grass Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass). Emma now works as a Forester for the U.S. Forest Service.