Students
Prospective Students
I am happy to hear from prospective students! I am excited to have the opportunity to train talented young biologists and help them move to the next stage in their careers. The best prospects will be curious, self-motivated, highly conscientious, and will have goals for achievement after graduate school. I seek students with an interest in contributing to the development of wildlife science through both the primary literature and by considering the practical applications of their work to conservation and management. Prospective masters students should have experience from multiple field positions and ideally, have completed an undergraduate thesis. Prospective doctoral students should have produced at least one peer-reviewed publication. I gladly receive inquiries from prospective students that have secured their own project funding, or are pursuing external fellowships or grants.
If you are interested in working with me, keep an eye on this site for funded projects for which I'm seeking a graduate student, or email me at traceyj@uidaho.edu to see if I have upcoming opportunities.
I am happy to hear from prospective students! I am excited to have the opportunity to train talented young biologists and help them move to the next stage in their careers. The best prospects will be curious, self-motivated, highly conscientious, and will have goals for achievement after graduate school. I seek students with an interest in contributing to the development of wildlife science through both the primary literature and by considering the practical applications of their work to conservation and management. Prospective masters students should have experience from multiple field positions and ideally, have completed an undergraduate thesis. Prospective doctoral students should have produced at least one peer-reviewed publication. I gladly receive inquiries from prospective students that have secured their own project funding, or are pursuing external fellowships or grants.
If you are interested in working with me, keep an eye on this site for funded projects for which I'm seeking a graduate student, or email me at traceyj@uidaho.edu to see if I have upcoming opportunities.
Current Students
Sarah McIntire
Sarah graduated from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science. After completing her degree, she spent the next few years traveling around the country working on different temporary research projects. Starting out with point count and nest-searching passerine jobs, she quickly realized a desire for a more hands-on line of work and shifted her focus to galliforms. She has had the pleasure of working on demographic studies involving northern bobwhites, lesser and Attwater prairie chickens, eastern wild turkeys, and greater sage-grouse. Sarah is interested in how juniper expansion affects greater sage-grouse. When not running around at all hours of the night catching sage-grouse, she enjoys camping, hiking, and getting lost in a good book.
Sarah graduated from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science. After completing her degree, she spent the next few years traveling around the country working on different temporary research projects. Starting out with point count and nest-searching passerine jobs, she quickly realized a desire for a more hands-on line of work and shifted her focus to galliforms. She has had the pleasure of working on demographic studies involving northern bobwhites, lesser and Attwater prairie chickens, eastern wild turkeys, and greater sage-grouse. Sarah is interested in how juniper expansion affects greater sage-grouse. When not running around at all hours of the night catching sage-grouse, she enjoys camping, hiking, and getting lost in a good book.
Kirby Lau
Kirby completed her B.S. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at North Carolina State University in 2019. Two days after she graduated, she headed to western Wyoming for her first-ever field technician position and has been on the road ever since. This allowed her to work on 8 projects in 7 different states, with study species ranging from swift foxes to black-footed ferrets to northern Idaho ground squirrels, and more. Though she's seen a lot of beautiful country, the intermountain west and its sagebrush steppe ecosystem have long been her favorite. Slowly, it became apparent that her passion for the mysteries of sagebrush systems was the driving force behind many of her career choices, and with that came a desire to learn even more about them. Kirby’s M.Sc. research will explore the non-target effects of herbicide application on small mammals and greater sage-grouse ecology near Hailey, Idaho. In her spare time, she enjoys wildlife photography, backpacking, and having elaborate picnics in scenic locations.
Kirby completed her B.S. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at North Carolina State University in 2019. Two days after she graduated, she headed to western Wyoming for her first-ever field technician position and has been on the road ever since. This allowed her to work on 8 projects in 7 different states, with study species ranging from swift foxes to black-footed ferrets to northern Idaho ground squirrels, and more. Though she's seen a lot of beautiful country, the intermountain west and its sagebrush steppe ecosystem have long been her favorite. Slowly, it became apparent that her passion for the mysteries of sagebrush systems was the driving force behind many of her career choices, and with that came a desire to learn even more about them. Kirby’s M.Sc. research will explore the non-target effects of herbicide application on small mammals and greater sage-grouse ecology near Hailey, Idaho. In her spare time, she enjoys wildlife photography, backpacking, and having elaborate picnics in scenic locations.
Tyler Thomas
Tyler completed his A.S. in Natural Resources at Treasure Valley Community College and in 2020 graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Rangeland Ecology & Management. Tyler's interests in rangeland ecology grew as he became involved in the University of Idaho's Rangeland Center and Society of Rangeland Management during his undergrad. Soon after completing his B.S. degree, Tyler accepted and started a master's program at Oregon State University researching the grazing effects of cattle on wildland fuels and plant communities in Wyoming big sagebrush steppe. This experience only further perpetuated his interests in rangeland research, and as he progressed in his program he began to develop his own questions and realized that research is the career that he wants to pursue. If you would've asked Tyler if he would want to pursue research earlier in his undergrad, he would've had a very different answer than he does now. However, all things happen for a reason and his master's program opened opportunities and ideas that would push Tyler to pursue a Ph.D. in Natural Resources. Tyler's Ph.D. research will focus on grazing management in mesic areas in sagebrush steppe and its impacts on sage grouse habitat. Outside of work, Tyler spends his time hunting, fishing, camping, and snowboarding.
Tyler completed his A.S. in Natural Resources at Treasure Valley Community College and in 2020 graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Rangeland Ecology & Management. Tyler's interests in rangeland ecology grew as he became involved in the University of Idaho's Rangeland Center and Society of Rangeland Management during his undergrad. Soon after completing his B.S. degree, Tyler accepted and started a master's program at Oregon State University researching the grazing effects of cattle on wildland fuels and plant communities in Wyoming big sagebrush steppe. This experience only further perpetuated his interests in rangeland research, and as he progressed in his program he began to develop his own questions and realized that research is the career that he wants to pursue. If you would've asked Tyler if he would want to pursue research earlier in his undergrad, he would've had a very different answer than he does now. However, all things happen for a reason and his master's program opened opportunities and ideas that would push Tyler to pursue a Ph.D. in Natural Resources. Tyler's Ph.D. research will focus on grazing management in mesic areas in sagebrush steppe and its impacts on sage grouse habitat. Outside of work, Tyler spends his time hunting, fishing, camping, and snowboarding.
Past Students
Jordan Rabon
Thesis title: Habitat selection and physiological condition of female greater sage-grouse in relation to western juniper.
Jordan graduated May 2020 and now works for North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts.
Thesis title: Habitat selection and physiological condition of female greater sage-grouse in relation to western juniper.
Jordan graduated May 2020 and now works for North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts.
Kenneth Randall
Thesis title: Mesic meadow responses to variation in grazing management practices: balancing sage-grouse resources with livestock production.
Kenny graduated August 2021 and works for Idaho Fish & Game.
Thesis title: Mesic meadow responses to variation in grazing management practices: balancing sage-grouse resources with livestock production.
Kenny graduated August 2021 and works for Idaho Fish & Game.
Aaron Young
Dissertation title: Beyond sage-grouse: effects of conifer expansion and removal on fauna in the sagebrush steppe.
Aaron graduate May 2022 and works as an instructor for the University of Idaho.
Dissertation title: Beyond sage-grouse: effects of conifer expansion and removal on fauna in the sagebrush steppe.
Aaron graduate May 2022 and works as an instructor for the University of Idaho.
