Faculty and Staff
Dr. Chris Chizinski
Christopher (Chris) Chizinski is an Associate Professor of Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Originally from northwestern Connecticut, he received a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Connecticut and then an M.S. and Ph.D. in Fisheries Sciences from Texas Tech University. His research examines the interplay of humans and wildlife and provides information to aid and inform conservation and management decisions.
Matt Gruntorad
Matt is a Human Dimensions Analyst at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research specializes in the understanding of hunter and angler attitudes and preferences. His work also focuses on the contexts that have the potential to affect satisfaction with a hunting season, attitudes of Nebraska landowners about conservation issues, and means to promote and sustain hunting and fishing participation.
Graduate Students
Katherine Graham
Katherine is a PhD student in the School of Natural Resources. She joined the lab in the Fall of 2017, completing her MS in December 2019 before starting her PhD. Katherine is working to increase our understanding of conservation organization participation, to improve member recruitment and retention initiatives, especially initiatives focused on underrepresented groups. Her long-term goal is to increase those involved in outdoor recreation and conservation.
Iris McFarlin
Iris is a Master's student in the School of Natural Resources. She joined the lab in the summer of 2019 and began her research on human foraging behavior throughout the North Central US and across the country. Her goal is to add to the body of literature on outdoor recreation by including new information about a consumptive activity that is often overlooked. She enjoys thinking about ecology from new perspectives and challenging the conservation platforms that have become normalized but ineffective. Her research interests include human dimensions and wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. Iris is co-advised with Dr. Jenny Dauer.
Daniel Morales
Daniel is a Master’s student in the School of Natural Resources and a trainee under National Science Foundation National Research Traineeship (NRT) Program. He joined the lab fall of 2019 researching cross-boundary collaborative management on natural resources among private landowners. Daniel joined the lab with his previous undergraduate experience on Animal Biology, Physiological Ecology, and Wildlife from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Zoology, he then worked for Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge as an AmeriCorps for a year. landowners with different land use/objectives. His research interest includes Human Dimension, Adaptive Management, Social-Ecological Resilience, and Natural Resource Management. Dan is co-advised with Dr. Craig Allen.
Corrin Winter
Corrin is a Master’s student in the School of Natural Resources. She began in the fall of 2020 and will be working on a project bridging our understanding of farmer’s and landowner’s views on conservation. Her long-term goal is to find sustainable solutions to ecological problems by surveying all side’s point of views and interests. Creating viable solutions to positions traditionally viewed as juxtaposed. Her research interests are in human dimensions, predator-livestock dynamics, and policy. Corrin is co-advised with Dr. Andy Little.
Morgan Register
Morgan is a Master’s student in the School of Natural Resources. In the fall of 2020, she began researching farmers and farmland owners’ views on targeted conservation practices. She joins this lab with previous undergraduate experience studying Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology as well as Agricultural Sciences at NC State University. Her long-term goal includes working in the public interface to interconnect conservation efforts with private lands. She strives to find ways to provide communication and education of our natural resources to individuals to encourage an environment for growth in the adaption of conservation practices. Her research interests include Agriculture, Human Dimensions, Wildlife Conservation, and Fisheries. Morgan is co-advised with Dr. Andy Little.
Undergraduate Research Students
Alex Otto
Alex joined the lab in the Summer of 2020 after graduating UNL with distinction in earning a Fisheries and Wildlife degree specializing in Conservation Biology with a minor in Biological Sciences. She is assisting with data entry for recent Nebraska Game and Parks Commission landowner surveys. Utilizing R Studio for data entry, this data will provide insight between Nebraska landowners and large game animals such as deer, elk, and antelope. Her research interests meet at the intersection of ecology, behavior, and physiology of mammals with an emphasis in quantitative research and wildlife conservation.
Grace Schuster
Grace is an undergraduate Fisheries and Wildlife major with a minor in Urban Forestry at UNL. She joined the lab in spring 2020 and has spent the past couple summers working on the Prairie Corridor Project. Her research has focused on analyzing the relationship between bird populations and multi-functional landscapes. This research helps advance our knowledge of wildlife conservation on working lands. During the past few months, Grace has developed and administered the UNL Wildlife Extension survey aimed at improving wildlife extension approaches across Nebraska. Her interests include wildlife conservation and human dimensions.
Daelyn Zagurksi
Daelyn is an undergraduate Fisheries and Wildlife major focusing in Conservation Biology and Zoo Animal Care at UNL. She joined the lab in the summer of 2020. She has been utilizing R Studio to do data entry for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission landowner surveys. The surveys offer landowners an opportunity to share their perspective when it comes to game animals such as deer, elk and antelope. Her research interests include wildlife conservation and environmental conservation.