PEOPLE
Wildlife & Wilderness Recreation Lab
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR KELLY DUNNING
Dr. Kelly Dunning is the Timberline Professor of Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. Dunning holds a PhD from MIT in Natural Resources Policy, an MS from Oxford University in Environmental Policy, and a BA from the University of Florida. Her research focuses on conservation policy in places where tourism is an important part of local identity. Dunning looks at climate vulnerable ecosystems, like coral reefs, that are popular among tourists and determines the best management policies for biodiversity and livelihoods. Dunning is an Affiliate Scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), an NCAR Early Career Innovator, a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Early Career Fellow, and has received funding from places like the National Science Foundation. Prior to her lab at Wyoming, she ran the Conservation Governance Lab at Auburn University.
CURRENT RESEARCH STAFF
Dr. Iree Wheeler
Dr. Iree Wheeler is co-director of the Wildlife and Wilderness Recreation Lab and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Wyoming. She holds a PhD in Environment and Society from Utah State University, an MS in Resource Conservation and a graduate certificate in Natural Resource Conflict Resolution from the University of Montana. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Wheeler obtained a BA from Seattle University. Iree is the principal investigator for our labs research on improving visitor experience in American National Parks, focusing on Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. Her wider research program focuses on visitor use management and recreation policy in parks and protected areas. She uses qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how visitor management actions influence visitor experience and conservation within the protected area, as well as regional system-wide interactions between communities and land management agencies in managing outdoor recreation and tourism. Iree’s expertise is international, advising on conservation projects such as the management planning for biodiversity hotspots like Bogd Khan Mountain in Mongolia. Iree already has proven skills in grantsmanship, managing funded projects, lab management, engaging stakeholders all over the world, and is seeking opportunities for a tenure track faculty position.
Thomas “Tommy” Furland
Thomas “Tommy” Furland, a Navy Veteran, lifelong learner, and a research scientist specializing in public administration and environmental policy. He earned his B.S. in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management from the University of Wyoming, and an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota. Tommy's academic excellence is highlighted by his receipt of the Outstanding Student Award from the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. His research contributions have been recognized with the Outstanding Scientific Presentation Award and the Research Leader Award from the Wildlife & Wilderness Recreation Lab. A U.S. Navy veteran, Tommy served as a Corpsman, providing medical support to both Navy and Marine Corps personnel. His service earned him honors including the Good Conduct Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Prior to his military career, he served as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where he received a Life Saving Award. In his professional role, Tommy leverages his diverse background in public service, research, and leadership to address complex challenges in public administration and environmental policy.
Micah Cole
Micah is the inaugural NOAA Climate Programs Office-funded Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Science (MANRRS) Coastal Scholar. Micah is a rising sophomore at Morehouse College, majoring in computer science. Micah first got interested in coastal science and conservation while attending the 2018, 2022, and 2023 Junior MANRRS Institutes held at Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment and hosted by the MANRRS organization. During this Institute, Micah was an outstanding student during the coral reef species identification and conservation class. Micah found coral reefs calming, and wondered how he could bring my love for computer science to coral reefs and fisheries. According to Micah, “It is an honor to be featured as a NOAA Coastal Scholar. I am excited to share my blogs with everyone as I learn about coastal management. Thank you for your assistance, and I appreciate this opportunity.” Micah is also a student athlete, playing football as an offensive lineman for Morehouse. The lab will be cheering for him in the fall!
Erik Olsen
Erik Olsen is the Wildlife and Wilderness Lab Student Veteran Fellow student researcher. Erik has been an Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management (ORTM) major at the University of Wyoming for the past 4 years. He has been honing his leadership and service skills with his minor in military science and a second minor in business. Growing up Erik was in the Boy Scouts of America which is where he found his love for the outdoors. Continuing on his outdoor journey Erik served his community as an ocean rescue lifeguard with 36 career saves over the course of 4 years on the coast of New Jersey. Erik then enlisted in the U.S. army and joined the 297th infantry unit soon after. Through time and experience he has become a team leader in his unit and has traveled all over the U.S. for training. His research project will look at the impacts of wild pigs to federal public land like national parks. Wild pigs are responsible for millions of dollars in damage impacting outdoor recreation all over the world. Erik’s research will examine ways federal land managers can eliminate the problems caused by invasive species.
Brandon Asay
Brandon Asay graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2016 with a BA in Political Science with a concentration in environmental and federal land politics. Soon thereafter, he enlisted with the U.S. Air Force where he became an Aerospace Medical Technician at the 60th Medical Group, Travis AFB, CA working in the Intensive Care Unit during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and later becoming the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge for the Dermatology Clinic. Being in California he fell in love with coastal redwoods and giant sequoias becoming attuned to some of the threats that they face. This inspired him to start his graduate work in Public Administration with a dual major in Environment and Natural Resources. Much of his work has focused on how the California wildfires from 2015-2021 have affected collaboration between federal, state, and tribal agencies across the Giant Sequoia range and looking at the strategic management plan of Redwoods Rising in Northern California. Brandon returned to Wyoming in 2024 where he joined the Wyoming Air National Guard at the 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and has now joined the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources in 2024 under the mentorship of Dr. Kelly Dunning.
Steelle Stevens Scearce
Steelle Stevens Scearce is a first-year master’s student in Environment, Natural Resource, and Society at UW. Steelle completed her BS in Fisheries and Wildlife at Northeastern State University in 2024 and has since joined the Wildlife & Wilderness Recreation Lab as a Distinguished Graduate Scholar. Steelle is a Cherokee citizen whose undergraduate research focused on small mammal communities within rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea), which are critically endangered ecosystems recognized for the significance as a raw material among many Southeastern Native American tribes. Steelle’s master’s thesis focuses on adaptive multi-stakeholder governance within the process of gray wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction in Colorado. Steelle is a collector of hobbies, but some of her notable favorites include trying out new Pinterest recipes with her husband, Noah, fermenting whatever random vegetables are in her fridge that week, and rotating through a wide selection of outdoor activities. Honorable mention goes to training her dog, Olee
Hannah Manire
Hannah Manire’s project focuses on studying visitor use management in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. She graduated from Auburn University in 2024 with a BS in Wildlife, Ecology and Management. Hannah recently completed an internship as an Auburn and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Technician, where her work varied from public outreach to management of invasive species. During undergrad, she worked as an undergraduate research assistant in a forest and fire ecology lab.
Sofia Mollett
Sofia Mollett graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2020 with a BS in Anthropology with an emphasis in Biological Anthropology and a minor in Sociology. Sofia is the Communications Director for the Wildlife and Wilderness Recreation Lab. She is currently working on a project involving hunter participation in the management of big game hunting in the state of Wyoming in collaboration with the decision-makers at Wyoming Game and Fish who will use the results of her project for management. Over the last four years, Sofia has been involved in multiple wildlife projects with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. She also has experience working to bring wildlife and the outdoors to the public in her prior work as a park ranger. Her experience has given her a passion for the natural world and the preservation of it.
Gretchen Luchauer
Gretchen is was a lab technician and project manager working on the marine sanctuaries project. Her work focused on climate adaptation in marine sanctuaries in Texas and Florida. Gretchen graduated with a Master of Science in Environmental Science and a Master Public Affairs from O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University (IU) Bloomington in 2021. She continued focused on community engagement, leading project through a Graduate Research Assistantship with the Bloomington Urban Forestry Group in the Ostrom Workshop. The Ostrom Workshop is one of the premier institutions for the study of the way that people manage natural resources. Gretchen presented a presentation at the 2022 Indiana Academy of Science called Urban Stream Corridors and Forest Patches – The Connections. During her undergraduate degree at Purdue, Gretchen was a member of TriBeta Biological Honor Society in 2017. Gretchen has previously worked in state fish and wildlife at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as a Fisheries Assistant. Her professional duties occurred at the nexus of science and society. She assisted in lake fishery surveys, vegetation surveys, a six-month long stakeholder survey on fisheries regulations, bathymetric scanning, and used this data to author reports. Gretchen learned how to conduct interviews with anglers to learn about catch per unit effort and opinions on a special regulation that had been applied to lake 10 years prior.
Jill Sower
Jill is a PhD student studying the process of developing Communities of Practice to protect oysters and give voices to the various stakeholders that care about oyster conservation. Her PhD is funded by Sea Grant.
ALUMNI
MS RECIPIENTS
Hannah Henry
Hannah Henry graduated from the University of Florida in 2022 with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and minors in economics and international studies. She is particularly interested in how conservation policy impacts various stakeholders and communities. Hannah is currently an M.S. student in Natural Resources at the Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment under the mentorship of Dr. Kelly Dunning. Her research is focused on the human dimensions of wildlife conservation on the Alabama coast as a model for gulf-wide management. Her work expands over several disciplines including social science, wildlife ecology, sustainable tourism, environmental policy, and natural resource management. She is passionate about creating successful conservation solutions that suit many stakeholders' needs.
TiAnna Olivas
TiAnna Olivas is from central New Mexico. She got her bachelor's degree in environmental and Organismal Biology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado in 2022. She is currently getting her masters in Natural Resources at Auburn University at the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment with Dr. Kelly Dunning being her advisor. Her research revolves around human-wildlife conflict in marine wildlife along the coast of Alabama with commercial and recreational fishermen.
Amanda Alva
Amanda Alva is from San Antonio, Texas and grew up traveling to public lands all over the country, fostering her love for the natural world and how human society interacts and shapes it. She received her BS in Marine and Freshwater Science from the University of Texas at Austin and then her Masters at Auburn University under the supervision and mentorship of Dr. Kelly Dunning. She is currently a social scientist and lead data analyst for NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science in Washington D.C.
Sabine Bailey (she/her)
Sabine is an early career professional working on equity-centered and community-engaged coastal adaptation planning in the Chesapeake Bay with The Nature Conservancy and Maryland Department of Natural Resources as a NOAA Digital Coast Fellow.
In May 2022, Sabine obtained her master’s in Natural Resource Management from Auburn University (in the former Conservation Governance Lab) with a focus on environmental policy, social science, and coral reef management. She also holds a bachelor’s in biology from McGill University in Canada. In her previous role, Sabine worked at a small non-profit, Coral Restoration Foundation, dedicated to restoring Florida’s coral reefs.
With her interdisciplinary background, Sabine looks forward to engaging in conversations and collaborations across sectors and disciplines to support coastal community resilience and their ability to adapt towards vibrant futures in light of climate change. She is also passionate about centering environmental justice in all aspects of her work and thinking critically on how to elevate voices and increase decision-making power to non-traditional and historically underrepresented communities.
Outside of work, Sabine is an avid scuba diver and nudibranch-enthusiast, macro-photographer, and enjoys camping, painting, and hiking.
Contact: baileysabine@gmail.com
Catherine Cummings
Catherine is a current MS recipient with expertise in the human dimensions of Chronic Wasting Disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects cervids. Catherine holds a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from SUNY New Paltz, an A.C. in Animal Behavior and Conservation from CUNY Hunter College, and a M.S. in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding the initial perceptions of stakeholders regarding the first detection of Chronic Wasting Disease in their state. Additionally, Catherine is researching how state-level management has adapted to the presence of positive Chronic Wasting Disease cases in white-tailed deer. Catherine is currently co-advised by Dr. Kelly Dunning and Dr. Stephen Ditchkoff, and is based at Auburn University's College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment.
Awards/Scholarships:
2024:
African Safari Club of Florida’s Graduate Student Award
2023:
Crooked Oaks Legacy Foundation Award
Tufts University Alumni Association Professional Development Fund (Award)
African Safari Club of Florida’s Graduate Student Award
Thomas Moorman
Thomas is an early career natural resource practitioner with a focus on human dimensions of conservation. He received his BA in International Studies from the Croft Institute at the University of Mississippi and his MS in Natural Resource Management from Auburn University under the guidance of Dr. Kelly Dunning. Prior to his time at Auburn University, Thomas was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia working as an agroforestry technician. Under Dr. Dunning, Thomas studied the policy and management of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico as well as community-based ecotourism and wildlife conservation systems in the African Kingdom of Eswatini.
After graduation, he started as a Science Policy Fellow with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Gulf Research Program and worked with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Office of Environment in New Orleans, Louisiana. Throughout his career, Thomas hopes to continue working towards climate resilience for human and ecological systems.
Outside of work, Thomas enjoys film photography, playing his Rav Vast, birding, and playing Wingspan with friends and family.
Contact: tmoorman1995@gmail.com
Dan Morris
Dan Morris received his MS in 2023 and now works as a Presidential Management Fellow for the U.S. Forest Service out of the Dillon Ranger District in Colorado. He specializes in recreation and engaging different members of the public with conflicting interests in recreation ensuring that everyone can enjoy the great outdoors. Dan published a first author book chapter in 2023 in the lab’s latest book The People’s Reefs. Dan is an avid angler, hiker, and a veteran of the United States Air Force.
Kasen Wally
Kasen Wally received his MS from the lab in 2022 studying marine protected areas of coral reefs.
PhD Recipients
Gregory Johnson
Greg Johnson received his PhD in 2023. Currently serving as a Presidential Management Fellow in the Executive Office of the President, Greg manages a portfolio of some of our most important public lands, our national parks. Greg’s PhD was funded by a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) grant. His research looked at how water quality impacts coastal communities after major disasters. Greg is a veteran of the Indiana National Guard and enjoys mentoring veterans seeking a career in the natural Resources. Greg is an active teacher, helping design every course syllabus in Dunning’s lab, and actively contributing as a research scientist and course instructor and teaching fellow to date.
