Graduate Students
 
Samantha Aguilar
Samantha Aguilar
 sam1604@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Martha Desmond, Co-Advisor: Aaron Young)
 Hometown | Gatesville, Texas
 BS | Tarleton State University 
 MS Thesis Topic | Post-fledging ecology of Western bluebirds and Ash-throated flycatchers at Los Alamos National Lab
 
Will Bass
Will Bass
 wbass@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Zach Klein)
 Hometown | Atlanta, Georgia
 BS | Auburn University
 MS Thesis Topic | Stocking strategies and species interactions of Hybrid Striped Bass in Caballo Reservoir, New Mexico
 
Matt Becker
Matt Becker
 mbecker1@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Jennifer Frey and Theresa Laverty)
 Hometown | Plainfield, IL
 BS | New Mexico State University
 MS Thesis Topic | Effects of Wind Energy Development on Terrestrial Mammals
 
Lucas Begeman
Lucas Begeman
 lbegeman@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: James Cain)
 Hometown | Chaseburg, Wisconsin
 BS | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point 
 MS Thesis Topic | Pronghorn habitat selection and movement in southwestern New Mexico
 
Aaron Blount
Aaron Blount
aaronblo@nmsu.edu
 MS | Plant and Environmental Science Department (Advisor: Wiebke Boeing)
 Hometown | Las Cruces, New Mexico
 BS | New Mexico State University
 MS Thesis Topic | Monoculture vs Polyculture Systems in Aquaponics, focusing on the following: Plant growth, fish growth, water quality and bacteria load in the media/substrate
 
Elizabeth Brock
Elizabeth Brock
 lizbrock@nmsu.edu
 MS | Water Science and Management Program (Advisor: Wiebke Boeing)
 Hometown | Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico
 BS | Haskell Indian Nations University
 MS Thesis Topic | Species Composition of the Rio Grande River Macro-invertebrates
 
Blanca Aimee Cabrera-Cuellar
Blanca Aimee Cabrera-Cuellar
 blancacc@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Obed Hernandez-Gomez, PhD)
 Hometown | Torreón, Coahuila, México
 BS | Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango 
 MS Thesis Topic | Population Genetics of the big bend slider turtle (Trachemys gaigeae)
 
Sara-Ashley Collins
Sara-Ashley Collins 
 saraashc@nmsu.edu
 PhD | Plant and Environmental Sciences (Advisor: Dr. Obed Hernández-Gómez)
 Hometown | TMarietta, Georgia
 BS | University of Georgia 
 MS | Colorado State University
 Dissertation Topic  | Impacts of temperature and environmental stressors on amphibian stress physiology and disease dynamics
 
Maggy Cooper
Maggy Cooper 
 maggyw@nmsu.edu
 MS  | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisors: Wiebke Boeing & Kelly Jones)
 Hometown | Mystic, Connecticut
 BA | University of Connecticut
MS Thesis Topic  | Social acceptance of multifunctional solar designs on public land in the southwest
 
Renae Cox
Renae Cox 
 renaecox@nmsu.edu
 MS  | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Wiebke Boeing)
 Hometown | Boydton, Virginia
 BA | Oregon State University
MS Thesis Topic  | Abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic impacts on arid intermittent water sources, specifically related to three fresh water shrimp species
 
Juliemar Cuevas-Hernandez
Juliemar Cuevas-Hernandez 
 jcuevas2@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor’s: Dr. Martha Desmond, Dr. Aaron Young, Dr. Timothy Wright) 
 Hometown | Orlando, FL 
 BS | University of Florida 
 MS Thesis Topic | Shrub encroachment impacts on wintering sparrows at the Jornada Experimental Range
 
Sophia Culver
Sophia Culver
 sculver@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Jennifer Frey)
 Hometown | South Bend, IN
 BS | University of Wyoming 
 MS Thesis Topic | Diet and Ecology of the Oscura Mountain Colorado Chipmunk
 
Jacob Falls
Jacob Falls
 jfalls91@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Zach Klein)
 Hometown | Homedale, ID
 BS | University of Idaho 
 MS Thesis Topic | Population Dynamics and species interactions of Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout in the San Juan Tailwater Fishery
 
Paul Fedorowicz
Paul Fedorowicz 
 pfedora@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Kasey Pregler)
 Hometown | Okemos, MI
 BS | University of Michigan
 MS Thesis Topic | Conservation genomics of Pecos pupfish
 
Alejandro Gomez
Alejandro Gomez 
 agomez72@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Dr. Obed Hernandez-Gomez)
 Hometown | Las Cruces, NM
 BS | New Mexico State University
 MS Thesis Topic | Microbiome and internal parasite composition of bighorn sheep and non-native ungulates in Southern New Mexico
 
Breanna Graves
Breanna Graves
 bre94@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Dr. Zach Klein)
 Hometown: Nine Mile Falls, Washington
 BS | University of Idaho
 MS Thesis Topic | Reproductive success of My Brook Trout
 
Nathan Green
Nathan Green 
 nsgreen@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Obed Hernández-Gómez)
 Hometown: Larkspur, California
 BA | University of California, Irvine
 MS Thesis Topic | The effects of environmental differences on pathogen load and richness, disease presence and severity, home range, and body condition of Northwestern Pond Turtles
 
William Grooms
William Grooms
 wgrooms@nmsu.edu 
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Frey)
 Hometown: Las Cruces, New Mexico
 BS | New Mexico State University
 MS Thesis Topic | Critically Rare Peñasco Least Chipmunk in a Post-Wildfire Disclimax Community in the Sacramento Mountains to Inform Sound Management
 
Jebosh Guzman-Solis
Jebosh Guzman-Solis
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Obed Hernandez-Gomez )
 Hometown: Ciudad Juarez
 BS | Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez
 MS Thesis Topic | Population ecology and BD disease resistance in Chiricahua Leopard Frogs along New Mexico and Arizona
 
Daniel Horton
Daniel Horton
 djhorton@nmsu.ed 
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisors: Martha Desmond and Fitsum Gebreselassie)
 Hometown: Jacksonville, FL 
 BS | Colorado State University
 MS Thesis Topic | Pinyon Jay Movement Ecology
 
Domonic Jimenez
Domonic Jimenez
 djimen62@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Dr. Obed Hernandez-Gomez)
 Hometown | Las Cruces, NM
 BS | New Mexico State University 
 MS Thesis Topic | Population Genetics and Immunogenetics of Western Pond Turtles
 
Matt Keeling
Matt Keeling
 mkeeling@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: James Cain)
 Hometown | Baltimore, Maryland
 BS | Frostburg State University
 MS Thesis Topic | Black bear resource selection: responses to wildfires and forest restoration
 
Mitchell Lejcher
Mitchell Lejcher
mlejcher@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Dr. Wiebke Boeing)
 Hometown | Woodbury, MN
 BS | Concordia College of Moorhead
 MS Thesis Topic | Aquaponics and Food Security
 
Megan Lemmo
Megan Lemmo 
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Martha Desmond, Co-Advisors: Fitsum Gebreselassie and Brian Millsap)
 Hometown | Mogadore, OH
 BS | Juniata College
 MS Thesis Topic | Post-fledging ecology of American Kestrels
 
Coral Matos-Sepulveda
Coral Matos-Sepulveda
coralm@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisors: Abby Lawson and Timothy Wright)
 Hometown | Miami Beach, FL
 BS | College of the Atlantic
 MS Thesis Topic | Mexican duck and other dabbling duck use of stocks tanks (diked wetlands) in southeastern Arizona
 
Alex Merchanlisky
Alex Merchanlisky
amerch@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Martha Desmond & Fitsum Gebreselassie)
 Hometown | Germantown, MD
 BS | Auburn University
 MS Thesis Topic | Breeding and movement ecology of Bendire's thrasher
 
Alyssa Mineau
Alyssa Mineau 
 PhD | Plant & Environmental Science (Advisor: Dr. Kelly Jones)
 Hometown | Susanville, CA
 BS | Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; University of Nevada, Reno 
 MS | Forest Resources; University of Arkansas at Monticello 
 PhD Dissertation Topic  | Social and Economic Dimensions of Forest Restoration in the American Southwest
 
Dante Munn
Dante Munn 
dmunn@nmsu.edu 
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: : Jennifer Frey)
 Hometown | Chapel Hill, NC
 BS | University of Wisconsin - Madison
 MS Thesis Topic | To be determined
 
Julia Nelson
Julia Nelson
jnels@nmsu.edu 
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Kelly Jones)
 Hometown | Cincinnati, Ohio
 BS | University of North Carolina at Charlotte
 MS Thesis Topic | Participation and governance in forest management initiatives: examining wood banks in New Mexico
 
Lili Ortiz
Lili Ortiz
 lortiz06@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Dr. Wiebke Boeing)
 Hometown | Las Cruces, NM
 BS | New Mexico State University 
 MS Thesis Topic | Improving Aquaponics Systems 
 
Dylan Osterhaus
Dylan Osterhaus
 dylano@nmsu.edu
 PhD | Biology (Advisors: Martha Desmond and Tim Wright) 
 Hometown | Topeka, Kansas
 BS | Emporia State University
 MS | Iowa State University
 PhD Dissertation Topic | Light pollution and bird migration in the desert southwest
 
Ruth Passernig
Ruth Passernig
 rpass@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: James Cain)
 Hometown | Austin, Texas
 BS | University of Portland
 MS Thesis Topic Mountain lion ecology
 
Mark Peyton
Mark Peyton
 nmcatmap@nmsu.edu
PhD | Biology (Advisor: James Cain)
 Hometown | Vernon, Arizona
 BS | Northern Arizona University
MS | Texas Tech University
PhD Dissertation Topic | Mountain lion resource selection and behavior in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico
 
Taylor Pichler
Taylor Pichler 
 tpichler@nmsu.edu
MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Theresa Laverty)
 Hometown | West Bend, Wisconsin
 BS | Northland College
 MS Thesis Topic | The interactive effects of bats and arthropods on shrub encroachment dynamics in the Chihuahuan Desert
 
Ryan Rimple
Ryan Rimple 
rjrimple@nmsu.edu
 PhD  | Biology (Advisors: Kasey Pregler and Karen Mabry)
 Hometown | Saylorsburg, PA
 BS | Juniata College
 MS  | University of Georgia
 PhD Dissertation topic  | Evaluating genetic rescue outcomes in a Gila trout outcrossing experiment
 
Iona Rohan
Iona Rohan
irohan@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisors: Jennifer Frey and Theresa Laverty)
 Hometown | Clinton, WA
 BS | University of Washington
 MS Thesis Topic | Effects of Wind Energy Development on Terrestrial Mammals
 
Julia Runkle
Julia Runkle 
jirunkle@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisors: James Cain, Co-Advisor: Robert Lonsinger [OSU])
 Hometown | Lancaster, PA
 BS | Bryn Mawr College
 MS Thesis Topic | The effects of fencing on movement and access to post-monsoon forage for pronghorn in Southeastern New Mexico
 
Carleen Silva
Carleen Silva
 cnsilva@nmsu.edu
 PhD | Biology (Advisor: Matthew Gompper and Kathryn Hanley)
 Hometown | San Antonio, TX
 BS | Iowa State University
 PhD Dissertation Topic | Effects of an emerging infectious disease, RHDV2, on lagomorphs at the individual, population and community level
 
Melanie Solis Alvarez
Melanie Solis Alvarez
 msolis26@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Wiebke Boeing)
 Hometown | Santa Fe, New Mexico
 BS | University of Portland 
 MS Thesis Topic | Land Conservation Impacts
 
Brandi Stevenson
Brandi Stevenson
 sbrandi@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Theresa Laverty) 
 Hometown | Houston, Texas
 BS | University of Houston – Clear Lake
 MS Thesis Topic | Ecology of nectar-feeding bats in the southwest
 
Evan Torres
Evan Torres 
 evan10@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Zach Klein)
 Hometown | Albuquerque, NM
 BS | New Mexico State University 
 MS Thesis Topic | PEvaluation of potential co-management of Yellow Perch and Roundtail Chub
 
Whitney Watson
Whitney Watson
 wwatson@nmsu.edu
 PhD | Biology (Advisors: Abby Lawson & Tim Wright)
 Hometown | Minneapolis, Minnesota
 BA | Macalester College
MS | University of Wisconsin – Madison
PhD Dissertation Topic | Ecology of rosy-finches in northern New Mexico
 
Holly Whited
Holly Whited
 hwhited@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Theresa Laverty)
 Hometown | Sweetwater, TN
 BS | University of Tennessee - Knoxville
 MS Thesis Topic | Ecology of nectar-feeding bats in the southwest
 
Joe Youtz
Joe Youtz
 joeyoutz@nmsu.edu 
PhD | Geography (Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Frey)
MS | Arkansas State University
 Hometown | Edgewood, New Mexico
 BS | New Mexico State University
PhD Dissertation Topic | Wildlife-Habitat-Thermal Relations in Pinyon Woodlands
 
Heather Zimba
Heather Zimba
 hzimba@nmsu.edu
 MS | Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology (Advisor: Abby Lawson)
 Hometown | Cooperstown, New York
 BS | Suny College of Environmental Science and Forestry
 MS Thesis Topic | Bolson Tortoise Reintroduction Ecology