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NRM Faculty General Research Interests

To learn more about the faculty, please click on each individual's name below.

Dr. Chris Cheek 
Assistant Professor 
Aquatic Ecology, Fisheries

Dr. Amanda Cheeseman 
Assistant Professor 
Wildlife Management, Spatial Ecology, Population Genetics 

Dr. Steve Chipps 
Adjunct Professor, Leader – USGS South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit 
Aquatic Food Web Ecology, Fish Bioenergetics, Foraging Ecology, Contaminants 

Dr. Alison Coulter 
Assistant Professor 
Spatial Ecology; Behavior of Fishes, Fisheries Sciences, Invasion Biology 

Dr. Dave Coulter 
Assistant Professor 
Fisheries, Aquatic and Wetland Sciences 

Dr. Sean Di Stéfano
Assistant Professor
Rangeland Ecology, Rangeland Modeling, Remote Sensing, Grazing Management, Rangeland Plant Succession, Reclamation and Restoration Ecology

Dr. Michele Dudash 
Professor and Department Head 
Evolutionary Ecologist: Plant-Pollinator Interactions, Plant Mating System Evolution, Conservation Genetics 

Dr. Krista Ehlert – West River Research and Extension 
Assistant Professor 
Rangeland Ecologist and Management 

Dr. Charlie Fenster 
NRM Affiliate Professor and Director of AES Oak Lake Field Station 
Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary and Conservation Genetics, Floral Evolution, Pollinators and Sustainable Agriculture 

Dr. A. Joshua Leffler 
Associate Professor 
Plant Physiological Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, Plant and Ecosystem Response to Climate Change 

Dr. Jeff Martin– West River Research and Extension 
Assistant Professor 
Bison, Climate change, Thermoregulation, Translocations, Body size change, Wildlife conservation, Livestock and grassland sustainability, Vertebrate paleontology, Food sovereignty 

Dr. Lora Perkins 
Associate Professor 
Plant Ecology, Biological Invasions, Plant-Soil Interactions, Restoration Ecology 

Dr. Chris Saunder 
NRM Affiliate Professor 
Mathematical Statistics, Statistical Pattern Recognition 

Dr. Bill Severud 
Assistant Professor 
Wildlife Management, Population Dynamics, Predator-Prey interactions, Disease Ecology 

Dr. Rachel Short – West River Research & Extension 
Assistant Professor 
Conservation Paleontology, Anthropogenic effects on mammals, Informal STEM education 

Dr. Joshua Stafford 
Adjunct Associate Professor, Assistant Unit Leader – USGS South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit 
Waterfowl Ecology and Management, Wetlands, Foraging Ecology, Conservation Planning 

Dr. Lan Xu 
Professor 
Plant Ecology, Rangeland Reclamation, Restoration and Improvement, Succession, Plant Responses to Stressors, Plant Reproductive Strategy, Soil Seed and Bud Bank 

Dr. Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek 
Assistant Professor 
Conservation Biology, Human Dimensions of Resource Utilization, Sustainable Development, Natural Resource Policy and Planning 

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