
CooperLab
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
The University of Georgia
Fledged Lab Members
Previous lab members and the past research that has been conducted in the CooperLab.

Lauren Gingerella
M.S. 2018
Contact: lgingerella125@gmail.com
Current: Conservation Easement Monitor, North American Land Trust
Research Topic:
“The Effects of Predator Exclosures on Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) Nest Success and Productivity”

Abby Sterling
Research Topic:
“Modeling productivity for American Oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) and Wilson’s Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia) in a highly dynamic environment”

Ph.D. 2015
Contact: mason.cline@gmail.com
Current: Bird Program Manager, New Mexico Dept. of Game and Fish
Research Topic:
“Behavior and Survival in a Migratory Songbird (Setophaga Caerulescens) with Emphasis on the Importance of a Prominent Plumage Characteristic”

Research Topic:
“Aided and Afflicted by Water: Assessments of the Influence of Hydrology and Sea Level upon Wetland Bird and Plant Distributions in Georgia, USA”
Mason Cline
Bryan Nuse
Anna Joy Lehmicke
Ali Leggett

Clark Jones
Research Topic:
“Landscape-level investigations of avian species at Fort Benning, Georgia”

M.S. 2013
Contact: joanna.hatt@gmail.com
Current: Native Fish Biologist, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Research Topic:
"Influence of climate change on Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) demography in the southern Appalachians"

Sarah Brown
M.S. 2012
Contact: sbrown@talltimbers.org
Current: Public Lands Research and Monitoring Biologist, Tall Timbers Research Station
Research Topic:
“Movements, home range and habitat selection of Bachman's sparrows (Peucaea aestivalis) on a longleaf sandhill forest: implications for fire management”
Joanna Hatt
Archived Students
Ali Leggett
Krishna Pacifica
jkpacifi@ncsu.edu
Ph.D. 2011
​
Research Topic: "Conservation and Management of Rare Species: The Development of Adaptive Models to Reduce Uncertainty Influencing Decision Making"
​
Current:
Asst. Professor
Center for Geospatial Analytics
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
NC State University
Brett Maley
M.S. 2011
​
Research Topic: "Temporal changes in Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) diet and foraging during the breeding season"
​
Current:
Cambridge, MA
Kirk Stodola
kstodola@illinois.edu
Ph.D. 2011
​
Research Topic: "Population ecology of a long-distance migratory songbird in a changing environment"
Current:
Post Doc Researcher
Illinois Natural History Survey
Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois
Ryan Malloy
ryanmalloy@ecologicalsolutions.net
M.S. 2010
​
Research Topic: "Home range size and habitat use of premontane rainforests by Long-tailed Manakins (Chiroxiphia linearis)"
​
Current:
Ecological Consultant
Ecological Solutions, Inc.
Jonathan Gray
grayj@trinityprep.org
MNR 2010
​
Research Topic: "Loggerhead Shrike habitat use in agricultural and forest landscapes"
​
Current:
Science Teacher
Trinity Prep School
Winter Park, Florida
Kirsten Hazler
Ph.D 2009
​
Research Topic: "Landscape and local effects on avian habitat use and breeding success in bottomland hardwood forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley"
Scott Rush
sar358@msstate.edu
Ph.D. 2009
​
Research Topic: "Factors influencing the distribution of Clapper Rails in Mississippi's tidal marshes"
Current:
Assistant Professor,
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Mississippi State University
Nico Dauphiné
Ph.D. 2008
​
Research Topic: "Bird ecology, conservation, and community responses to logging in the northern Peruvian Amazon"
Yok Yok Hadiprakarsa
M.S. 2008
​
Research Topic: "Forest patch occupancy by Sumatran hornbills in a fragmented landscape of southern Sumatra, Indonesia"
Current:
Indonesian Hornbill Conservation Society
Nora Diggs
M.S. 2008​
Research Topic: "The role of food availability in the wintering ecology of Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus)"
Rua Mordecai
rua@southatlanticlcc.org
Ph.D. 2007
​
Research Topic: "Ecological patterns of occupancy and use: new methods for analysis and applications to species and communities"
Current:
Science Coordinator,
South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative
​
​
Natalie Hyslop
natalie.hyslop@ung.edu
Ph.D. 2007
​
Research Topic: "Movements, habitat use, and survival of the threatened eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) in Georgia"
​
Current:
Associate Professor
University of North Georgia
Gainesville, Georgia
Brady Mattsson
brady.mattsson(at)boku.ac.at
Ph.D. 2006
​
Research Topic: "Louisiana Waterthrush ecology and conservation in the Georgia Piedmont"
​
Current:
Postdoctoral Fellow
Institute for Silviculture (BOKU),
Vienna Austria
Ashley (Sexton) Turner
M.S. 2005
​
Research Topic: "Home range and habitat use of red-tailed hawks in southwestern Georgia"
Abi (Vitale) Convery
M.S. 2005
​
Research Topic: "The use of high-resolution satellite data in wildlife modeling"
​
Current:
Planning Biologist
County of Ventura, California
Jill Gannon
jjgannon@usgs.gov
Ph.D. 2005
​
Research Topic: "Nest predation and brood parasitism of two bottomland hardwood forest songbirds: the importance of habitat characteristics at multiple spatial scales"
​
Current:
Research Ecologist
U.S. Geologic Surveyown Science Center
Stephanie (Hyder) Laseter
slaseter@fs.fed.us
M.S. 2002
​
Research Topic: "Landscape and local effects on avian habitat use and breeding success in bottomland hardwood forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley"
​
Current:
Biological Scientist
SRS Experimental Forest Network Lead
Center for Integrated Forest Science
Franklin, N.C.
Sandy Cederbaum
M.S. 2002
​
Research Topic: "The effects of alternative and conventional management systems in cotton agriculture on avian and arthropod populations in the Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia"
​
Current:
http://www.asmallgreenfootprint.com/index.html
Lars Pomara
lazarusypomara@fs.fed.us
M.S. 2001
​
Research Topic: "Mixed-species flocking ecology of passerine birds in a Neotropical premontane forest and in shade coffee fields"
​
Current:
Ecologist
Southern Research Station
U.S. Forest Service
Asheville, N.C.
Dorie (Wolf) Welch
M.S. 2008
​
Research Topic: "The effect of uneven-aged silviculture on the breeding ecology of the indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) in a bottomland hardwood forest."
Current:
Fish & Wildlife Project Manager
Bonneville Power Administration
Oregon
Alan Williams
M.S. 2000​
​
Research Topic: "The effects of gypsy moth treatment applications of Bacillus thuringiensis on worm-eating warblers in middle Appalachia"
Current:
Ecologist / Data Manager
Natural and Cultural Resources Division
Shenandoah National Park
Carrie Straight
carrie_straight@fws.gov
M.S. 2000
​
Research Topic: "Effects of experimental prey reduction on foraging rates and behavior of insectivorous Nearctic-Neotropical migrant birds in the Appalachians"
Current:
Biologist
Transportation Projects, Robust Redhorse, granite outcrops
USFWS
Athens, G.A.
Matt Marshall
matt_marshall@nps.gov
Ph.D. 2000
​
Research Topic: "The effects of naturally occurring and experimentally reduced prey abundance on the breeding ecology and territory dynamics of the red-eyed vireo"
​
Current:
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Wildlife Conservation
National Park Service
Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network Program Manager
Larry Wood
M.S. 1999
​
Research Topic: "Short-term effects of timber management on prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) breeding biology"
​
Current:
Owner
Wildlife Investigations
McClellanville, SC
Dina Roberts
M.S. 1998
​
Research Topic: "Habitat use by army ants and ant-following birds in remontane forest and coffee agroecosystems in western Panama"
Current:
Resident Lecturer in Mountain Ecology
School of Field Studies
Bhutan
Jen DeCecco
M.S. University of Memphis
​
Research Topic: "Nest-site selection of three neotropical migratory birds in middle Appalachia"
​
Current:
Wildlife Diversity Division Biologist Aide
Pennsylvania Game Commision
Stephen Mullin
sjmullin@sfasu.edu
Ph.D. 1998
​
Research Topic: "The foraging ecology of the gray rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta spiloides) – visual stimuli facilitate location of arboreal prey"
​
Current:
Chair, Department of Biology
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, T.X.
Randy Wilson
Randy_Wilson@fws.gov
M.S. University of Memphis
​
Current:
Regional Biologist
USFWS
Jackson, MS
Curt McCasland
curtis_mccasland@fws.gov
Humboldt State University
​
Research Topic: "Implications for the use of diflubenzuron to reduce arthropod populations inhabiting evaporation ponds of the San Joaquin Valley, California."
Current:
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Jeff Dunk
Jeffrey.Dunk@humboldt.edu
M.S. Humboldt State University 1992
​
Research Topic: "Black-shouldered kite -- small mammal -- vegetation relationships in northwestern California"
​
Current:
Lecturer
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Humboldt State University
Buddy Fazio
Buddy_Fazio@fws.gov
M.S. Humboldt State University 1993
​
Research Topic: "Analysis of annual survival of wild Aleutian Canada geese using data-based model selection"
Current:
Boating Access Grant Manager
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Southwest Region
Cynthia (Anderson) Verhey
M.S. Humboldt State University 1992
Research Topic: "Bird and invertebrate communities in grazed and ungrazed fields at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge"