ESPP Alumni

Ellis Adams
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Global Studies Institute and Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University
MSU Department: Geography
Email: eadams23@gsu.edu
Dissertation: Decentralization, Institutions and Access to Potable Water in Malawi's Peri Urban Settlements
Ellis Adams
Jelili Adebiyi
Current Position: Visiting Scholar
MSU Department: Community Sustainability
Email: 
Dissertation: 
Jelili Adebiyi
Stephen Aldrich
Current Position: Associate Professor, Indiana State University
MSU Department: Geography
Email:  steve.aldrich@indstate.edu
Dissertation:  Largeholder deforestation and land conflict in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon
Stephen Aldrich
Doe Andovor
Current Position: USAID Food and Enterprise Development Extension Specialist
MSU Department: Agricultural Economics
Email: 
Dissertation:  
Doe Andovor
David Bidwell
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Marine Affairs, University of Rhode Island
MSU Department: Sociology
Email:  dbidwell@uri.edu
Dissertation:  The Structure and Strength of Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farm Development
David Bidwell

Dylan Brewer
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor, School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology
MSU Department: 
Economics
Email: 
brewerdy@msu.edu
Dissertation: 

http://www.dylanbrewer.com

Dylan Brewer
Victoria Campbell-Arvai
Current Position: 
Assistant Research Scientist, School of Natural Resources & Environment, University of Michigan
MSU Department: 
Community Sustainability
Email: 
vcarvai@umich.edu
Dissertation:
Victoria Campbell-Arvai
John Clements
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor, Foundational Sciences, College of Medicine, Central Michigan University
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email: 
cleme3jm@cmich.edu
Dissertation: 
The influence of religion and messages from religious authorities : attitudes about science and environmental concern
John Clements
Kim Hiller Connell
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor, Department of Apparel, Textiles and Interior Design, Kansas State University
MSU Department: 
Human Environment and Design
Email: 
kyhc@k-state.edu
Dissertation:
Ecological Consumer Decision Making: Nature, Process, and Barriers in Apparel Acquisition
Kim Hiller Connell
Zachary Curtis
Current Position: 
Research Associate and COO, Hydrosimulatics INC
MSU Department: 
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Email: 

Dissertation: 
Zachary Curtis
Saul Daniel Ddumba
Current Position: 
Lecturer, Department of Geography, Geoinformatics & Climatic Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
MSU Department: 
Geography
Email: 
dddumba@caes.mak.ac.ug
Dissertation: 
Impacts of climate variability and change on crop production in Uganda
Saul Daniel Ddumba
Riva Denny
Current Position: 
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email: rchdenny@umich.edu

Dissertation: 
A Cross Scale Examination of How Knowledge and the Physical Environment Influence the Use of Best Management Practices in US Commodity Agriculture 
Riva Denny
Micaleila Desotelle
Current Position: 

MSU Department: 
Integrative Biology
Email: 
desotell@msu.edu
Dissertation: 
Micaleila Desotelle
Robert Drost
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor, Integrative Geosciences, Michigan State University
MSU Department: 
Geological Sciences
Email: 
drostrob@msu.edu
Dissertation: 
The role of memory in decision-making during exposure to natural hazard risk
Robert Drost

Ran Duan
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno
MSU Department: 
Journalism
Email: 
rduan@unr.edu
Dissertation:  
Visual Communication of Climate Change: The Effect of Construal Level

Ran Duan
Mahlet Garedew
Current Position: 
Donnelley Postdoctoral Enviornmental Fellow at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
MSU Department: 
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Email:
mahlet.garedew@yale.edu
Dissertation: 
Mahlet Garedew
Molly Good
Current Position: 
Taylor and Regier Great Lakes Fisheries Fellow, Boon and Crockett Fellow
MSU Department: 
Fisheries and Wildlife
Email:
goodmoll@msu.edu
Dissertation: 
Molly Good
Benjamin Gramig
Current Position: 
Associate Professor, Agriculture and Consumers Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MSU Department: 
Agricultural Economics
Email:
 bgramig@illinois.edu
Dissertation: 
Essays on the Economics of Livestock Disease Management: On-Farm Biosecurity Adoption, Asymmetric Information
Bejamin Gramig
Matt Grisko
Current Position: 
Learning Assistant, Rogers Park Montessori School
MSU Department: 
Philosophy
Email:

Dissertation: 
Matt Grisko
Rich Grogan
Current Position:
Executive Director of the Northern Border Regional Commission
MSU Department: 

Email:
richardggrogan@GMAIL.COM
Dissertation: 
Rich Grogan
Ryan Gunderson
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor, Sociology and Social Justice Sciences, Miami (OH) University
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email:
gunderrm@miamioh.edu
Dissertation: 
Nature, Sociology and the Frankfurt School
Ryan Gunderson
Erin Haacker
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
MSU Department: 
Geological Sciences
Email:
ehaacker2@unl.edu
Dissertation: 
Erin Haacker
Ellen Holste
Current Position: 
Program Coordinator, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
MSU Department: 
Forestry
Email: 
holstee@cedarcreekinstitute.org

Dissertation:
The role of mycorrhizal fungi and soil nutrients in tropical reforestation
Ellen Holste
Marcia JnBaptiste
Current Position: 
Soil Society of America
MSU Department: 
Crop and Soil Sciences
Email: 
marcia.jean-baptiste@gmail.com

Dissertation: 
Effects of gypsum, compost and cover crops on soil nutrients availability, corn yeild and quality and soil quality
Marcia JnBaptiste
Demetrice ‘Dee’ Jordan
Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School
MSU Department: Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences
Email: demetrice_jordan@hms.harvard.edu
Dissertation: A Risk Reduction Approach to Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case Study the CANVAS Method.
Demetrice ‘Dee’ Jordan
Jason Karl
Current Position: 
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, New Mexico
MSU Department: 
Fisheries & Wildlife
Email: 
jkarl@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Object-based image analysis for scaling properties of rangeland ecosystems: Linking field and image data for management
Jason Karl
Jennifer Kelly
Current Position: 
Visiting Assistant Professor, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email: 
kellyajf@bc.edu

Dissertation: 
Jennifer Kelly
Thitisilp Kijchavengkul
Current Position: 
Lecturer in Food Technology program at Kanchanaburi Campus at Mahidol University (Thailand)
MSU Department: 
Packaging
Email: 

Dissertation: 
Thitisilp Kijchavengkul
Ryan Klataske
Current Position:
Award-winning photographer, rancher, land steward, world traveler, and a doctoral candidate
MSU Department: 
Anthropology
Email: 
rklastaske@gmail.com

Dissertation: 
Wildlife Management and Conservation on Private Land in Namibia: An Ethnographic Account
Ryan Klataske
Nicole Lamp
Current Position:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program, Atlanta, GA
MSU Department: 
Fisheries & Wildlife
Email: 

Dissertation: 
Nicole Lamp
Zarraz Lee
Current Position:
 Post-Doctoral Researcher, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
MSU Department: 
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Email: 
zarraz.lee@asu.edu

Dissertation: 
Bacterial Growth Efficiency (BGE) of bacterial community insoil and factors that infludence BGE
Zarraz Lee

Shengpan Lin
MSU Department: Integrative Biology
Dissertation: Climate Change and Algal Bloom

Dr. Lin sadly passed away in the fall of 2018. He is warmly remembered by professors, staff and students at MSU. For more information, please see this article.

Shengpan Lin
Cheng-Hua Liu
Current Position:
 
MSU Department: 
Crop and Soil Sciences
Email: 
liuchen6@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Sorption of Antibiotics to Black Carbon Sorbents and its Impact on Transport of Antibiotics in Soils
Cheng-Hua Liu
Abigail Lynch
Current Position:
Research scientist, National Wildlife and Climate Science Center, USGS
MSU Department: 
Fisheries & Wildlife
Email: 
lynchabi@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Fisheries & Wildlife and climate change
Abigail Lynch
Erin Maloney
Current Position:
Research Director at University of Pennsylvania
MSU Department: 
Communication
Email: 
emaloney@asc.penn.edu

Dissertation: 
Social influence in online health discussions: an evaluatin of online graduate student support groups
Erin Maloney

Elizabeth Mauritz
Current Position:
 
MSU Department: 
Philosophy
Email: 
mauritze@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Wildlife Management and Conservation on Private Land in Namibia: An Ethnographic Account
Elizabeth Mauritz
Colleen McClean
Current Position:
Department of Geological and Environmental Science, Youngstown State University, Ohio
MSU Department: 
Geological Sciences
Email: 
cemclean@ysu.edu

Dissertation: 
Colleen McClean
Bonnie McGill
Current Position:
David H. Smith Fellow & Postdoctoral Researcher, the University of Kansas
MSU Department: 
Integrative Biology
Email: 
bonniemcgill@gmail.com

Dissertation: 
Bonnie McGill
Max Melstrom
Current Position: 
Assistant Endowed Professor of Ecological Economics and Environmental Policy at Loyola University Chicago
MSU Department: 
Economics and Agricultural Economics
Email: 
rmelstrom@luc.edu

Dissertation: 
Resource economics: Model demand for Michigan recreational angling opportunities
Max Melstrom
Stephanie Miller
Current Position:

MSU Department: 
Zoology
Email: 
mill1571@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Nutrient-mediated relationships between algae and heterotrophic bacteria: implications for Mycobactrium ulcerans
Stephanie Miller
Jakob Nalley
Current Position:
Program Coordinator, Northwestern University's Science in Society
MSU Department: 
Integrative Biology
Email: 

Dissertation: 
Optimizing the productivity and sustainability of algal biofuel systems: Investigating the benefits of algal diversity and utilizing brewery wastewater for cultivation
Jakob Nalley
Norbismi Nordin
Current Position:
Department of Process and Food Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Putrajaya
MSU Department: 
Packaging
Email:
nordinno@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Norbismi Nordin
Emily Norton
Current Position:
Assistant Director of PACE Program Development and Open Campus Coordinator at Oregon State University
MSU Department: 
Fisheries & Wildlife
Email:
emily.henry@oregonstate.edu

Dissertation: 
The effects of lake shoreline development on painted turtle nest site selection and reproductive success.
Emily Norton
Linda Novitski
Current Position:
Instructor, Saturday Academy
MSU Department: 
Zoology
Email:
lindanovitski@gmail.com

Dissertation:
Microcystis in the Ohio River, analyzing population dynamics of an algal taxon with toxin-forming potential.
Linda Novitski
Hogeun Park
Current Position:
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California San Diego
MSU Department: 
Planning, Design and Construction
Email:
hopark@ucsd.edu

Dissertation: 
Hogeun Park
Perdinan
Current Position:
Lecturer, Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia
MSU Department: 
Geography
Email:
perdinan@gmail.com

Dissertation: 
Crop production and future climate change in a high latitude region: a case study for the Upper Great Lakes region of the United States
Perdinan
Zachary Piso
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, University of Dayton
MSU Department: 
Philosophy
Email:
zacharypiso@gmail.com

Dissertation: 
Social-Ecological Systems, Values, and the Science of People Managements
Zachary Piso
Carson Reeling
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University
MSU Department: 
Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics
Email:
creeling@purdue.edu

Dissertation: 
Strategic Interactions, Relatively Endogenous Risk, and Coordinated Policy Design in Environmental Economics 
Carson Reeling
Allison Rober-Wyatt
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Ball State University
MSU Department: 
Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics
Email:
arrober@bsu.edu

Dissertation: 
Strategic Interactions, Relatively Endogenous Risk, and Coordinated Policy Design in Environmental Economics 
Allison Rober-Wyatt
Steven Roels
Current Position:

MSU Department: 
Integrative Biology
Email:
steveroels@gmail.com

Dissertation: 
Recovery of Insectivorous Bird Ecological Function in Tropical Forest Restorations
Steven Roels
Melissa Rojas-Downing
Current Position:
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Food, Energy and Water System Modeling at Michigan State University
MSU Department: 
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Email:
rojasm@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Evaluating the Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on Grazing Dairy Production
Melissa Rojas-Downing
Leilei Ruan
Current Position:
Analytics Scientist, Ford Credit
Email:
leilei.ruan@wayne.edu

Dissertation: 
Impacts of biofuel crops on greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural ecosystems
Leilei Ruan
Kateri Salk
Current Position:
Visting Assistant Professor of Water Resources, Duke University
MSU Department: 
Integrative Biology
Email:
krsalkgundersen@uwaterloo.ca

Dissertation:
Discerning the role of denitrification, anammox, and N2O production in aquatic systems
Kateri Salk
Carolina Santos
Current Position:

MSU Department: 
Geography
Email:
santosca@msu.edu

Dissertation:
Complex Land Use and Cover Trajectories in the Northern Chocó Bioregion of Colombia
Carolina Santos
Krishna Shrestha
Current Position:
Statistican, Policy Advisor, Ministry of Government Services, Ontario Public Service
MSU Department: 
Community Sustainability
Email:
shresth2@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Krishna Shrestha
Rachel Shwom
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Ecology, Rutgers University
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email:
shwomrac@rci.rutgers.edu

Dissertation: 
Greens, Suits, and Bureaucrats: A Sociological Perspective on Interorganizational Relations in Appliance Energy Efficiency Policy
Rachel Shwom
Samuel Smidt
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Soil and Water Sciences Department/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
MSU Department: 
Geological Sciences
Email:
ssmidt@ufl.edu

Dissertation:
Redefining Water and Land Management Strategies for the early 21st Century
Samuel Smidt
Sara Parr Syswerda
Current Position:
Education Director, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
MSU Department: 
Crop and Soil Sciences
Email:
syswerdas@cedarcreekinstitute.org

Dissertation:
Ecosystem services from agriculture across a management intensity gradient in Southwest Michigan
Sara Parr Syswerda
Lisa Szymecko
Current Position:
Research Area Specialist, Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan
MSU Department: 
Community Sustainability
Email:
szymecko@umich.edu

Dissertation:
Ecosystem services from agriculture across a management intensity gradient in Southwest Michigan
Lisa Szymecko
Sara Tanis
Current Position: 
Visting Assistant Professor, Biology, Kalamazoo College
MSU Department: 
Forestry
Email:
stanis@kzoo.edu

Dissertation:
Host plant interactions between emergy ash borer and five fraxinus species
Sara Tanis
Sophia Tanner
Current Position: 
Postdoctoral research associate, University of Arizona
MSU Department: 
Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics
Email:
sophiatanner@email.arizona.edu

Dissertation: 
Sophia Tanner
Sheldon Turner
Current Position: 
Environmental Science Faculty, Triton College
MSU Department: 
Geological Sciences
Email:
sheldonturner@triton.edu

Dissertation: 
Understanding human-earth system interactions: The role of visual representations
Sheldon Turner
Mamta Vardhan
Current Position: 
Instructor, Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton
MSU Department: 
CARRS
Email:
vardhan@ualberta.ca

Dissertation: 
Implications of incentive-based conservation programs for governance, gender and collective action in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania
Mamta Vardhan
Pariwate Varnakovida
Current Position: 
Director, KMUTT Geospatial Engineering and Innovation Center, Bangkok, Thailand
MSU Department: 
Geological Sciences
Email:
pvarnakovida@lssu.edu

Dissertation:
Human-environment interactions in urban environment and sustainable development: Spatial modeling and landscape prediction in northeast Thailand
Pariwate Varnakovida
Stephen Vrla
Current Position:
Curator of Humane Education, Detroit Zoological Society
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email:
vrlastep@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Stephen Vrla
Cameron Whitley
Current Position: 
Assistant Professor in Sociology at Western Washington University
MSU Department: 
Sociology
Email:
cameron.whitley@gmail.com

Dissertation:
Human-environment interactions in urban environment and sustainable development: Spatial modeling and landscape prediction in northeast Thailand
Cameron Whitley
Leigh Whittinghill
Current Position: 
Professor, Department of Urban Agriculture, Kentucky State University
MSU Department: 
Horitculture
Email:
leigh.whittinghill@kysu.edu

Dissertation:
The use of green roof technology for growing vegetables
Leigh Whittinghill
Hongbo Yang
Current Position:
Research fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
MSU Department: 
Fisheries & Wildlife
Email:
yanghongbo01@gmail.com

Dissertation:
Complex Effects of Telecoupling on a Coupled Human and Natural System
Hongbo Yang
Wu Yang
Current Position:
Professor, Department of Environmental Policy and Sustainability, Zhajiang University-China
MSU Department: 
Fisheries & Wildlife
Email:
yangwu@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Wu Yang
Barbara Zawedde
Current Position:
Coordinator, Uganda Biosciences Information Center
MSU Department: 
Horticulture
Email:
zawedde@msu.edu

Dissertation: 
Barbara Zawedde