Meet the PI

Mary (she/her) is a postdoctoral scholar interested in restoration and plant community ecology. She graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in October 2023, where she studied how changes in water availability affect competition and coexistence in an annual grassland, in Dr. Nathan Kraft’s lab. She has joined the Dryland Ecology and Management lab to work on climate adaptive restoration strategies using functional trait-based approaches. In her free time Mary enjoys hiking, biking, watching NBA basketball, weaving, and hanging out with her dog Bambam. Email Mary | Website

Amy (she/her) is a Ph.D. student interested in restoration ecology focusing on plant recruitment and understanding socio-ecological factors of restoration. Amy graduated from the University of Arizona (UA) with an MS in Rangeland Sciences where she was supported by the Fulbright Foreign Degree Program. Her MS thesis research focused on using a community assembly filter model as a platform to explore grassland restoration. Amy’s dissertation research at CSU focuses on restoration, seed mix design, invasive species management, and social aspects of ecological restoration. In her spare time, Amy enjoys watching movies, cooking, hanging out with friends over chai, and calling her family! Email Amy

Ember (she/her) is a PhD student interested in restoration ecology, environmental justice, and the food-energy-water systems (FEWS) nexus. Ember graduated from University of Michigan with her M.S. in Conservation Ecology and Environmental Justice in 2022, where she studied food web dynamics and agroecosystem resilience in Dr. Ivette Perfecto's lab. She is supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and is a trainee in the InTERFEWS Graduate Program at CSU. Ember’s doctoral research explores climate-adaptive restoration strategies using the RestoreNet framework in Southwestern Colorado and long-term monitoring of restoration plots in the Piceance Basin. Ember is also a passionate activist for reproductive justice and survivor care, and works as a birth doula and crisis advocate. In her spare time, Ember enjoys walking with her partner and their dog Su, knitting, gardening, and sitting in the sunshine. Email Ember

Emily (she/her) is a PhD student interested in community engaged restoration ecology. Emily holds an undergraduate degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. She is particularly interested in climate adapted restoration in arid environments. Her research will focus on innovative seeding techniques to improve germination and establishment of native plant communities in collaboration with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Southwest Colorado. Prior to joining the Dryland Ecology and Management Lab at CSU, Emily worked with various nonprofits across the Western U.S. in the conservation field. When she isn’t working, Emily can be found doing pottery, gardening, cooking, playing with her puppy, Fiddle, and enjoys nearly all outdoor activities. Email Emily

Nora (she/her) is a Ph.D. student studying restoration ecology, with a particular interest in the role of plant and soil relationships in rangeland restoration. Nora graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with an MS in Environmental Sciences and Management where she studied plant and soil interactions. Her thesis was on biocrust plant relationships in arid California grasslands and the role of management and soil physical properties in restoration outcomes in California coastal rangelands. Nora’s doctoral research at CSU focuses on trait-based approaches to restoration in arid landscapes throughout the Western United States. In her spare time, Nora enjoys looking at flowers, skiing, hiking, and hanging out with her cat Fat Max. Email Nora

Jason (he/him) is an undergraduate student studying Restoration Ecology with a minor in Conservation Biology. Jason is interested in understanding soil properties in dryland ecosystems, managing invasive species, and restoration planning. Jason is currently looking at how ecosystems are affected by invasive species management. Before working at the Dryland Ecology and Management Lab, Jason worked as a Botany intern at CU Boulder, helping to identify plants across the Southern Front Range. In his free time, Jason enjoys basketball, hiking, and cooking.

Bailey (she/her) is an undergraduate student majoring in Restoration Ecology. Bailey joined the lab as an REU student in the NSF Rocky Mountain AMP program working on a collaborative dryland restoration project with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Bailey is interested in analyzing successful restoration techniques within dryland ecosystems and gaining an understanding of restoration management. Bailey is excited to start her ecological career with the Dryland Ecology and Management Lab and cannot wait to see where this takes her. In her free time, Bailey enjoys playing video games, spending time with friends, enjoying outdoors, and coffee shops.