Background and Interests My research concerns plant community and population ecology, mostly in terrestrial environments. Within this general area I have focused on a variety of specific problems, often involving the response of species to extreme events or stressful habitats. I have a continuing interest in fire ecology especially in Mediterranean-climate shrub communities (chaparral, coastal sage scrub, cypress woodland) and more recently, prairie.
Teaching My teaching varies. Recently I have taught "Capstone Seminars" for Environmental Studies Majors, A new course jointly with Dr. Cooper Rosin "Sustaining Life on Earth."
Key words Ecology of shrublands, forests, prairies, and temporary wetlands; fire ecology; restoration and creation of habitat for endangered species, rare species monitoring; conservation and restoration in agricultural landscapes
Craig Maier
Coordinator, Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium
Background and Interests I grew up in the agriculturally-dominated landscape of southern Wisconsin. Despite wanting to get out as soon as possible after graduating high school, and learning to love the mountains and canyons of the Colorado Plateau, Central Rockies, and Pacific Northwest, I’ve found myself back here. The prairie-forest borderland is truly a special place, and many people and natural areas have inspired me to learn more about the highly-threatened natural and cultural heritage of the Midwest. I have experience with prescribed fire and natural areas management, and I have developed innovative projects to integrate conservation and agriculture, including USDA-funded research to evaluate the use of tallgrass prairie as summer forage in the eastern tallgrass prairie. I have a B.S. in Geoscience from Northland College, and an M.S. from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison.
My role in the Zedler lab is to coordinate the work of the Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium, a knowledge exchange funded by the Joint Fire Science Program (www.firescience.gov). The consortium's mission is to accelerate the awareness, understanding, and application of fire science. I collaborate with researchers, land managers, and staff from institutions, agencies, and NGOs across the Midwest. My duties include assessing current and predicted knowledge needs and planning field days, workshops, and other active learning events. The consortium communicates with audiences spread across parts of 12 states, so I manage a website, e-newsletter, social media, and spend a lot of time on the road.
Cooper Rosin
Presently: Faculty Associate, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Formerly: Cottam-Loucks Postdoctoral Research Associate in Ecological Studies, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Background and Interests I am an ecologist and conservation biologist with interests revolving around plant-animal interactions and natural history. The majority of my research has been focused on tropical forests - including those in Central and South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia - where I've worked to understand the ecological consequences of human activities like hunting and logging. I earned my master's and PhD degrees from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. . For more about me, you can find my academic website here.
Mary-Claire Glasenhardt
MS Student, Environment and Resources Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Contact Information: Email:
Background and Interests I focus on restoration of Midwestern ecosystems with a passion for native gardening. As a conservation ecologist, my goal is the preservation of the earth’s native ecosystems and the biodiversity that they contain. In the summer of 2021 with the help of volunteers, Mary-Claire and my lab partner Isaac Bailey-Marren surveyed 1,010 m2 plots collecting data on species abundance. Studying the vegetation community of Curtis Prairie, the first restored tallgrass prairie, my primary focus is on changes since the last survey (2002), almost 20 years prior. In addition, I am examining the reasons that led citizen science volunteers to participate in environmental conservation activities, specifically assisting experts monitoring the plant community at Curtis Prairie. Prior to graduate school I managed a long-term prairie experiment at the Morton Arboretum investigating phylogenetic and functional trait diversity.
"People" is Under Construction ....
Lab Alumni
Mercedez Kennedy
MS 2020, Environment and Resources Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Background and Interests I received an undergraduate degree in Biological Research and completed my thesis on plant diversity and pollinator success in a fragmented tall grass prairie. Since then I have interned with the National Audubon Society as a Restoration Intern working on habitat management and restoration in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. My interests include natural area ecology, restoration and management, as well as increasing accessibility and involvement in natural areas.
Jenny Goldstein Prahl
MS 2020, Environment and Resources Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Background and Interests I am an aspiring ecologist with particular interests in fire ecology, environmental justice, and land management. As an undergraduate, I worked in a microbiology lab, assisting with research conducted on the green roofs of New York City and the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico. I also conducted fieldwork with a non-profit environmental institute in the Middle East. My senior thesis, written with the religion department, broadly explored the evolution of sacred sites in the national perspective. In building on my undergraduate work and experiences, I am excited about bringing an interdisciplinary approach to my master's research.
Other Lab Alumni
Alison Duff (PhD) Kata Dosa (PhD) Marya Johnston-McIntosh (MS) Sedra Stephanie-Lee Shapiro (MS) Ted Anchor (MS) Heidi Hillhouse (PhD) Leith Nye (MS) Julie Speck (MS) Dylan Voeller (MS) Katy Warner (MS)