I investigate processes at the ecosystem level using statistical modelling. My main interest in research is to understand ecological processes and population dynamics of aquatic organisms at the ecosystem level, in particular those aspects that are relevant to resource management. Recently I have been investigating spatial and temporal scales needed to study the spatial distribution of fish abundance and obtain indices of abundance of fish populations in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Since fish, as other aquatic organisms, cannot be directly observed large scale population studies must rely on analysis of data from scientific surveys or commercial operations. The analysis of this information requires specialized statistical modeling. Currently my focus is in the Great Lakes.

Research and teaching emphases are on the politics of international development and environmental conservation, with a focus on institutional change, property rights, poverty, and biodiversity. Written extensively on 1) indigenous knowledge, 2) community-based conservation, 3) common property, 4) population and resources, and 5) environmental identities. Recent interests include the decentralization of environmental policy (especially forestry and wildlife), and the emergence of environment as a subject of human concern.

Teaching emphasis is on the application of ecological knowledge to species conservation and ecosystem management. Research interests center on the influence of human activities on the condition of rivers and their watersheds, including the effects of land use on stream health, assessment of variation in flow regime, and estimation of nutrient loads and budgets. Additional, collaborative activities are directed at the translation of aquatic science into useful products for management, conservation, and restoration of running waters.

I am an ecologist who combines field and geospatial data and methods to study the pattern and process of ecological systems. I also strive to build bridges between science and social science.

What motivates my work is recognition of the complexity of the relationship of humans and ecological systems. These relationships and their emergent properties can be studied at different spatial scales and levels of organization. Knowledge gained from field studies, geospatial data, and analysis can be used to build models that help scientists and to understand the implications of human actions on the social and natural systems of which they are a part.

In October 2001 Dr. Rosina Bierbaum joined the University of Michigan as Dean of the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE).

Since her arrival, Bierbaum has: overseen the creation of a new undergraduate Program in the Environment; enhanced interdisciplinary teaching and research by successfully recruiting thirteen new faculty to the school, eight of whom hold joint appointments in other colleges at the University of Michigan; developed a new MS track to link business, engineering and natural resources; tripled research activity in SNRE; reinvigorated Great Lakes research across campus; and expanded the mission of the School to include global change.

Research interests focus on land use change and its effects on ecosystems and on human vulnerability. This work connects a computer-based simulation (e.g., agent-based modeling) of land-use-change processes with GIS and remote sensing based data on historical patterns of landscape change and social surveys. We are working to couple these models with GIS-based data and other models to evaluate consequences of change. We are also working to understand the ways in which land-use decisions are made. Collaborative research investigate the effects of spatial and social neighborhoods on the physical and social risks on human health.

Research interests most recently have focused on Suburban Ecosystem management: How People Perceive and Value the Urban Forest,introducing technology into the classroom and universal design. More specific topic areas include geographic information systems, Americans With Disabilities Act, land use planning and public participation in the design process.

Instrumental in establishing the School's Environmental Justice Program that focuses on the differential impact of environmental contaminants on people of color and low-income communities; Founder and Director of the Environmental Justice Initiative for research and retrieval/dissemination conferences and policy briefings. Research and conferences include both a domestic and international foci, particularly on climate justice. Teaching portfolio includes: Introduction to Environmental Justice (Environ. 222), Conception, Practical Issues and Dilemmas in Environmental Justice (SNRE 582), and the Masters Project/NRE 701.

Jonathon Bulkley is the Peter M. Wege Professor of Sustainable Systems, and he holds a joint appointment with the College of Engineering.

Teaching efforts are concentrated in water policy, risk-benefit analysis, and case studies in natural resources. Research concentrates on the development and application of both quantitative and qualitative means to help policy makers and decision makers attain improved planning, evaluation, and management of natural resources, especially water resources. Recently, research interests have expanded to include curriculum development for effective teaching of sustainale systems concepts to a wide range of disciplines.

Dr. Burton is the newly appointed Director of NOAA's Cooperative Institute of Limnology and Ecosystem Research and a Professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. Recently, he was Professor and Chair of the Earth & Environmental Sciences Department at Wright State University, in Dayton, Ohio. While at WSU he directed the Institute for Environmental Quality, started the PhD program in Environmental Sciences, and was the Brage Golding Distinguished Professor of Research.

The goal of Bill Currie's research program, growing out of ecosystem science, is to understand the organization, causal interactions, and dynamics in ecosystems and landscapes and to contribute to the new field of sustainability science. If we can capture the right complexity in our models of natural systems, we can apply this understanding to represent, study, or simulate future scenarios in linked human-natural systems. Bill teaches Modeling Coupled Human-Natural Systems, Resilience thinking, and Bio-Based Carbon Mitigation and Biofuels.

Promoting environmental stewardship has proven to be difficult. Successful approaches seem to need a mixture of understanding, motivation and participation. None alone appear sufficient. Another fascinating notion is Green Care, the use of natural settings to promote human wellness in its many forms (e.g., physical, psychological, spiritual). Work in this area could be called Sustainable Living since it is about crafting a wholesome and meaningful existence on a finite planet. 

Beth Diamond is a landscape theorist, designer and cultural instigator who believes in landscape architecture as an art form and a visionary medium for social change and evolution. Her interests stem from a fascination with the qualities and expressions of the built world as a mirror of human civilization and her work in landscape architecture focuses on strategies to transform societies in sustainable and culturally affirming ways.

Teaching interests center around fish ecology, aquaculture, and environmental sciences. Current teaching includes a senior course on fish ecology and an introductory course on environmental sciences. Major research interest has focused on the ecology of natural fishes, particularly pike and muskellunge.  In addition, research interests include a focus on aquaculture, its role in feeding the world, especially poorer people in developing countries, and its impact on the environment.

Scholarly interests include landscape architecture, landscape planning, landscape ecology, spatial modeling and analysis, and applications of information technology to planning and design. A recent project includes the development of a Land Use Change Early Warning System for the National Park Service. Dr. Ellis has also been involved in designing an environmentally sustainable educational facility for Texas A&M University next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica.