Dr. Libby Metcalf is the Joel Meier Distinguished Professor of Wildland Management and Senior Associate Dean of the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the 猎奇重口. In 2011, Dr. Metcalf received a dual Ph.D. at the Pennsylvania State University in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management and the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and the Environment. Her research interests generally center around recreation management issues, wildlife related issues, and understanding complex social-ecological systems. Dr. Metcalf’s theoretical approach is based in social-psychology and often includes the examination of attitudes, values, and beliefs. Dr. Metcalf has worked on statewide studies examining outdoor recreation, hunter recruitment and retention issues, and river management. Her more recent work has focused on larger social-ecological systems such as the social dimensions of river restoration and wildlife management. Dr. Metcalf uses structural equation modeling in social data analysis and has been working with other researchers to develop models to couple human and natural systems. Along with her research, Dr. Metcalf is a dedicated teacher where she provides field-based opportunities for her undergraduate students including field trips and internships. At the graduate level, Dr. Metcalf offers seminar style courses and close mentoring for her advisees. Libby is also an avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, favoring activities that include sunshine and water. Her favorite place to recreate is the upper Blackfoot River where she enjoys floating and fishing with her family.
Dr. Alex Metcalf is an Associate Professor Professor of Human Dimensions in the Department of Society & Conservation in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the 猎奇重口 where he serves on the undergraduate faculties for Environmental Science & Sustainability and Wildlife Biology, and the interdisciplinary graduate faculties for Systems Ecology and the BRIDGES Food Energy and Water Nexus. In 2010 Dr. Metcalf received a dual Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University in Forest Resources and the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and the Environment. His research focuses broadly on the human dimensions of natural resources using theories and methodologies from sociology- and psychology-related disciplines to address natural resource issues while advancing theory. He employs qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods in his research, including spatial (GIS) techniques, to understand relationships between humans and the environment, and the consequences of conservation behavior across scales. Dr. Metcalf is particularly interested in understanding the factors which drive conservation decisions by private landowners, including the cross boundary realities of many natural resources; using theories of social-ecological system dynamics to inform management toward desired outcomes; improving the use and measurement of attitudes, beliefs, and values in agency and NGO decisions and outreach/extension; and helping ensure people and communities are fairly and meaningfully engaged in natural resources decision-making processes. Dr. Metcalf has oriented his research toward a variety of natural resource contexts and issues including forest management and restoration, private land conservation, fire policy and management, invasive species control, regenerative agriculture, and human-wildlife interaction. Dr. Metcalf enjoys teaching at all levels, including in his freshmen intro to natural resource conservation class (NRSM 121), his Human Dimensions of Wildlife course (WILD 274), and a graduate course on theories used in human dimensions research (NRSM 574)
Tina Cummins, Ph.D. student, Forest and Conservation Sciences
Tina is a Ph.D. student in Forest and Conservation Sciences. Her broad research interest is combining social science theories with data science methods to improve resource management. In the Lab, Tina is studying how to increase the efficiency of agricultural behavior change programs in the Chesapeake Bay using data science. Tina completed an M.A. in Economics and an M.S in Business Analytics at the 猎奇重口 in 2017. She has worked as a social and economic consultant for Ecosystem Research Group in Missoula. A couple of her notable projects were a socio-economic monitoring for the Clearwater Basin Collaborative in Idaho as part of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program and measuring the economic impact of proposed interim measures for Sage Grouse in Wyoming. Tina was previously a Sustainable Cities Fellow at the University of Southern California. She is always ready for any road trip or travel experience, particularly ones that involve hiking, dragon boat paddling, tennis, running half marathons and listening to books on Audible.
Anna Baize, M.S. student, Wildlife Biology
Anna is an M.S. student in the Wildlife Biology program. She earned a B.S. in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University. During her time at CSU, she assisted the Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence in analyzing state-wide surveys that engaged the public in large carnivore conservation. This project sparked her interest in the field of human dimensions, and she has since pursued positions related to human-carnivore conflict and coexistence. Her experience includes working as a technician on the Southwest 猎奇重口 Grizzly Bear DNA Project, the Idaho Wolf Project, and a range riding study throughout the West. Anna is particularly interested in understanding the human side of grizzly bear recovery in 猎奇重口, with a focus on the Bitterroot Valley. In her free time, she can typically be found riding a bike along ridges and valleys or painting by a river.
Brianna Lipp, M.S. student, Wildlife Biology
Brianna began to pursue an M.S. in Wildlife Biology in the fall of 2024. Her research interests include the social dimensions of wolves in 猎奇重口, the relationship between identity and conservation, and social-ecological systems. Brianna graduated from Middlebury College in 2020 with a B.A. in Biology and Anthropology/Sociology. After graduating, she worked a number of jobs in the conservation field, such as being a plant technician in Kansas’ tallgrass prairies, an AmeriCorps conservation corps member in New Hampshire’s Squam Lake, and a zookeeper in Alabama, before deciding to return to graduate school. In her free time, Brianna is a dedicated cat mom, passionate hockey fan, and indoorsy outdoorswoman, enjoying reading and baking about as much as she likes backpacking and scuba diving.
Jazzelle Elias, Research Assistant
Jazzelle earned a B.S. in Recreation Management from the 猎奇重口 in 2023 and joined the lab as a research assistant in 2024. During her time at UM, she worked with the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) studying stoneflies, the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) conducting public surveys, the Bob Marshall
Wilderness Foundation (BMWF) as a wilderness ranger, and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) performing trail work. Her passion lies in understanding human interactions, communication strategies, and policy as they relate to natural resources. Originally from a concrete jungle in Southern California, Jazzelle moved to a small logging town in Washington State, where she was first introduced to the outdoors in high school. Once afraid of trees, she eventually found herself leading a mule through the Bob Marshall Wilderness alone during her college years. Outside of the lab, Jazzelle can be seen wandering a trail, flailing on the pickleball courts, running away from unleashed dogs, or journaling at her favorite coffee shop.
Cassie Mendoza, Ph.D. student, Forest and Conservation Sciences
Cassie is a PhD student in the Forestry and Conservation Science program. She earned a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and Ecology and an M.S. in Ecology from Western Colorado University. During her master’s she worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to understand human-bear conflicts within the Gunnison Valley while creating a Human-Bear Conflict Mitigation Plan for Gunnison County. Before starting her PhD, Cassie was running around Florida Man country as the Central Area Bear Biologist for the FWC. Cassie had many notable experiences from her time in Florida including taking a sleeping bear out of Disney World. Cassie’s research will focus on the human dimensions of prescribed fire within 猎奇重口. Cassie is a dedicated dog mom to 2 adventure pups, loves to run around the forest looking for photogenic bears, and is always ready to snowboard on a powder day!