Interested in joining my lab?
Prospective Graduate Students: I do not expect to have new, funded positions for PhD students before Spring 2026 and MS students before Fall 2026.
For future positions, please send a cover letter (stating your graduate degree and career interests), resume or CV, 3 references, and copies of your publications (if applicable). Graduate Students in my lab may earn degrees through the School of Forest Resources, Ecology & Environmental Science Program, or the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology at the University of Maine.
Prospective Graduate Students: I do not expect to have new, funded positions for PhD students before Spring 2026 and MS students before Fall 2026.
For future positions, please send a cover letter (stating your graduate degree and career interests), resume or CV, 3 references, and copies of your publications (if applicable). Graduate Students in my lab may earn degrees through the School of Forest Resources, Ecology & Environmental Science Program, or the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology at the University of Maine.
Current Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Research Associates

Dr. Adrián Naveda-Rodríguez, Postdoctoral Research Associate
"American Goshawk Range Retraction and Occupancy in the Northeast U.S."

Percy Ulsamer, MS student in Wildlife Ecology
"Birds as indicators of forest management sustainability in Maine: an evaluation of past surveys and future approaches"

Kylie Brunette, MS student in Wildlife Ecology
"Migration and breeding ecology of woodcock in West Virginia"

James Longo, MS student in Ecology & Environmental Science
"High-elevation spruce-fir forest patch dynamics: implications for forestry practices to aid Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) conservation"

Rachel Darling, PhD student in Wildlife Ecology (co-advised with Dr. Erik Blomberg)
"Migration ecology of American Woodcock"

Kurt Ongman, PhD student in Ecology & Environmental Sciences
"Nest and fledgling habitat selection and survival of Vermivora on Fort Drum Army Base, NY"
Former Graduate Students and Postdocs
2024

Ryan Brodie, MS student in Ecology & Environmental Sciences
"An analytical framework to identify migratory airspace, stopover landscapes, and stopover habitat characteristics for Nearctic-Neotropical migrants"
Ryan Brodie, MS student in Ecology & Environmental Sciences
"An analytical framework to identify migratory airspace, stopover landscapes, and stopover habitat characteristics for Nearctic-Neotropical migrants"

Dr. Ethan Royal, Postdoctoral Research Associate
"Predicting spatially explicit population viability for Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera)"
Current Position: Postdoc in Willson Lab at University of Arkansas

Liam Berigan, PhD candidate in Wildlife Ecology (co-advised with Dr. Erik Blomberg)
"Full annual cycle analysis of of American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) distribution, habitat use, and migration ecology."
Current Position: Postdoc in Haukos Lab at Kansas State University

Emily Filiberti, MS student in Wildlife Ecology
"Spatial and demographic variations in apparent annual survival of Golden-winged Warblers: a range-wide investigation."
Current Position: Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Carolina Luciani, Master of Wildlife Conservation student
"Evaluating management effects to conserve a nesting tern colony on Petit Manan
Island, Maine."
Current Position: Environmental Educator, Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center

Aja Quintal, Master of Forestry student
"Forest management plan for managing vernal pools on the Dwight B. DeMeritt Forest"
2022

Dr. Jessica Hightower, Postdoctoral Research Associate
"Predicting range shifts and habitat suitablity for Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera)"
Current Position: Postdoc in Betts Lab at Oregon State University
Dr. Jessica Hightower, Postdoctoral Research Associate
"Predicting range shifts and habitat suitablity for Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera)"
Current Position: Postdoc in Betts Lab at Oregon State University

Carl Pohlman, MS student in Forest Resources
"Assessing the long-term effects of an expanding gap silvicultural system on the avian assemblage at the Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program"
Current position: Research Coordinator, New York Breeding Bird Atlas II

Luke Douglas, MS Forest Resources
"Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) use of commercial spruce-fir forests of northern New England"
Current position: Environmental Scientist, VHB, Rhode Island.
2021

Alex Fish, PhD Wildlife Ecology (co-advised with Dr. Erik Blomberg)
"Migration ecology of American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) in eastern North America"
Current position: Endangered & Threatened Species Biologist, Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
2020

Michelle Duffy, Master of Wildlife Conservation
"Wildlife rehabilitation datasets as an underutilized resource
to understand avian threats, mortality, and mitigation opportunities"

Sam Anderson, Master of Forestry (co-advised with Dr. Jessica Leahy)
"Henderson Lot management plan"
Current position: Forester, Irving Woodlands

Kaitlyn Wilson, MS Wildlife Ecology
"Bicknell’s Thrush Habitat Use on Commercial Forests in Maine, USA"
Current position: Wildlife Biologist, Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources

Chris Roelandt, MS Wildlife Biology at University of Michigan-Flint (co-advised with Dr. Jill Witt)
"Assessing Habitat Quality of American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) and Validating a Handheld Meter Using Plasma Metabolites"
Current position: Forester, Consumer Energy

Sean Ashe, Master of Forestry (co-advised with Dr. Jessica Leahy)
"Management Plan for Compartment D in the Penobscot Experimental Forest"
Current Position: Forester, Northern Research Station, US Forest Service
2019

Anna Buckardt-Thomas, MS Wildlife Ecology
"Evaluation of young forest management and private landowner participation to aid declining bird species"
Current position: Avian Ecologist, Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
"Evaluation of young forest management and private landowner participation to aid declining bird species"
Current position: Avian Ecologist, Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
2017