My Story
Kate grew up on a small farm outside of Pierce, NE, where she developed a passion for the outdoors and ranching. She got her bachelor’s degree from the School of Natural Resources at UNL. Throughout her career, she has studied neotropical birds in Ecuador, mourning doves in North Dakota, least terns and piping plovers in Nebraska, and gray vireos and pinyon jays in New Mexico. Kate’s experience and interest in large mammals is what brought her to her thesis work studying the spatial ecology of North American bison on Vermejo Park Ranch in New Mexico. Bison were once an integral part of several ecosystems across North America.
Conducting behavioral surveys for my thesis research during the summer of 2022.
By understanding how this keystone species uses space and habitat, she hopes to contribute insight to understanding general bison ecology in the American Southwest, which will help guide management actions that may be applied to other private, public, and tribal sector bison herds. Studying large private sector bison herds is a key step in restoring bison throughout North America, which will in turn, help restore the ecosystems they once inhabited.
Partaking in some rattlesnake research during my field season at Kirtland Airforce Base.
Hiking in the Jemez Mountains in New Mexico. Hiking is one of my favorite hobbies for exploring the great outdoors