Graduate Students
Maddy Grupper
B.S. Conservation Biology; Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2014
M.S. Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2019
Thesis: Grupper, M. 2020. Exploring the Role of Trust in Drinking Water Systems in Western Virginia. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Publications:
Grupper, M.A., Schreiber, M.E. and Sorice, M.G., 2021. How Perceptions of Trust, Risk, Tap Water Quality, and Salience Characterize Drinking Water Choices. Hydrology, 8(1), p.49. link (open-access)
Leah Fitchett
B.S. in Biology, College of William and Mary, 2014
M.S. Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2019
Thesis: Fitchett, L. 2019. The Roles of Local Organizations in Collaborative Resource Governance: A Qualitative Case Study of Lake Associations. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Publications:
Fitchett, L.L. and V.R. Fitchett. 2020. How to Evaluate a Lake Association’s Effectiveness. Lakeline, Summer. link
Fitchett, L.L., Sorice, M.G., Cobourn, K.M., Boyle, K.J., Klug, J.L. and Weathers, K.C., 2020. Pathways to enhanced lake integrity: A Framework to assess the effectiveness of local lake associations. Lakes & Reservoirs: Research & Management, 25(2), pp.258-268.
Ward, N.K., L. Fitchett, J.A. Hart, L. Shu, J. Stachelek, W. Weng, Y. Zhang et al., 2019. Integrating fast and slow processes is essential for simulating human–freshwater interactions. Ambio, 48(10), pp.1169-1182.
Cobourn, K.M., Carey, C.C., Boyle, K.J., Duffy, C., Dugan, H.A., Farrell, K.J., Fitchett, L., et al… 2018. From concept to practice to policy: modeling coupled natural and human systems in lake catchments. Ecosphere, 9(5), p.e02209.
Kiandra Rajala
Education:
B.S. Forestry, University of Montana, 2013
B.S. Parks, Tourism & Recreation Management, University of Montana, 2013
M.S. Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2018
Thesis: Rajala, K. F. (2019). Ecosystem Transformation Across a Changing Social Landscape: Landowner Perceptions and Responses to Woody Plant Encroachment. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Publications:
Rajala, K., Sorice, M.G. and Toledo, D., 2021. Gatekeepers of transformation: private landowners evaluate invasives based on impacts to ecosystem services. Ecosphere, 12(7), p.e03652. link (open-access)
Rajala, K., Sorice, M.G. and Thomas, V.A., 2020. The meaning (s) of place: Identifying the structure of sense of place across a social–ecological landscape. People and Nature, 2(3).
Sorice, M. G., Rajala, K., & Kreuter, U. P. (2018). Understanding Management Decisions of Absentee Landowners: More Than Just Presence-Absence. Rangeland Ecology & Management. , 71(2), 159-162.
Ally SteinMetz
B.A. Oregon State University, 2012
M.S., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2018
Thesis: Steinmetz, A. 2018. ‘It Should’ve Never Been Broke Out’: Understanding Participation in the Conservation Reserve Program in Southwest Kansas and Southeast Colorado. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Wesley Johnson
Education
B.S., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation , Virginia Tech
M.S., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2017
Thesis: Johnson, W. 2017. Understand Willingness to Pay for Pollination and User Sense of Place Connections on the Eastern Shore. Thesis, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Cory Furrow
Education
B.S., Psychology, Virginia Tech
M.S., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2015
Thesis: Furrow, C. 2015. Motivating Proenvironmental Behavior: Examining the efficacy of financial incentives. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Anna Santo
Education
B.A., Biology & Environmental Studies, Oberlin College, 2009
M.S., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2015
Thesis: Santo, A. 2015. A Human-Centered Approach to Designing an Invasive Species Eradication Program. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Publications:
Sorice, M.G., C.J. Donlan, A.R. Santo*, G.M. Luque, C.A. Hagen. 2021. Exploring pathways to participation in an at-risk species conservation program. Conservation Science and Practice, e489. link
Santo, A.R., Donlan, C.J., Hagen, C.A., Luque, G.M. and Sorice, M.G., 2020. Characteristics and motivations of participants and nonparticipants in an at-risk species conservation program. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, pp.1-9.
Santo, A., K. Guillozet*, M.G. Sorice, T.D. Baird, S.A. Gray, C.J. Donlan and C.B. Anderson. 2017. Examining private landowners’ knowledge systems of invasive species. Human Ecology 45(4).
Santo, A., M. G. Sorice, C. J. Donlan, C. T. Franck, and C. A. Anderson. 2015. A human-centered approach to designing invasive species eradication programs on human- inhabited islands. Global Environmental Change 35:289–298.
Paxton Ramsdell
Education
B.A., Government & Environmental Studies, Hamilton College, 2007
M.S., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2013
Thesis:
Ramsdell, C. P. 2013. Paying for Nature: Incentives and the Future of Private Land Stewardship. Thesis, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Publications:
Hurst, K., C. P. Ramsdell*, and M. G. Sorice. 2017. A life course approach to understanding social drivers of rangeland conversion. Ecology and Society, 22(1):19.
Ramsdell, P. R., M. G. Sorice, A. Dwyer. 2015. Using financial incentives to motivate conservation of an at-risk species on private lands. Environmental Conservation, doi:10.1017/S0376892915000302.
Becky Shufelt
Degree
M.N.R., Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2013
Professional Paper: Kirch Flat Campground Recommendation Report.
Current Position: Recreation Officer, Eldorado National Forest, Pacific Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service
Undergraduate
Chioma Ichoku
Education
B.S. 2016 Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
Undergraduate Independent Study:
Linking Nature & Health: Implications for the Physical Therapy Field
Current Position: Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Elon University (2016-2020)
Sarah Daman
Education
B.S. 2014 Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
Undergraduate Research Project: Promoting Forest Conservation in the Peruvian Amazon
Current Position: M.S. Student, Teton Science School, Jackson, Wyoming