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NRM Faculty General Research Interests

Dr. Chris Cheek 
Assistant Professor
Aquatic Ecology, Fisheries
Directory

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

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

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

Dr. Dave Coulter (effective in August 2023)
Assistant Professor
Fisheries, Aquatic and Wetland Sciences
​​​​​​​Directory

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

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

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

Dr. A. Joshua Leffler 
Associate Professor
Plant Physiological Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, Plant and Ecosystem Response to Climate Change
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Dr. Jeff Martin – West River Research & Extension
Assistant Professor
Bison, Climate change, Thermoregulation, Translocations, Body size change, Wildlife conservation, Livestock & grassland sustainability, Vertebrate paleontology, Food sovereignty
​​​​​​​Directory

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

Dr. Chris Saunders 
NRM Affiliate Professor
Mathematical Statistics, Statistical Pattern Recognition
​​​​​​​Directory

Dr. Bill Severud
Assistant Professor
Wildlife Management, Population Dynamics, Predator-Prey interactions, Disease Ecology
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Dr. Rachel Short – West River Research & Extension 
Assistant Professor 
Conservation Paleontology, Anthropogenic effects on mammals, Informal STEM education
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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
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Dr. Lan Xu 
Professor
Plant Ecology, Rangeland Reclamation, Restoration and Improvement, Succession, Plant Responses to Stressors, Plant Reproductive Strategy, Soil Seed and Bud Bank
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Dr. Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek 
Assistant Professor
Conservation Biology, Human Dimensions of Resource Utilization, Sustainable Development, Natural Resource Policy and Planning
​​​​​​​Directory

NRM Directory