Brandon Kittson, MS Student

Wildlife biology and wildlife conservation have always been passions of mine. Growing up just outside of Glacier National Park and my Blackfeet cultural upbringing allowed me to develop a deep appreciation for the natural world. My research interests include road ecology, connectivity, and the reintroduction of extirpated species. Completing my Bachelors Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries at Salish Kootenai College in 2019 allowed me to work on a variety of interesting projects, including huckleberry phenology in Glacier National Park, Mexican Spotted Owls in New Mexico, ungulate crossing zones on Highway 89 on the Blackfeet Reservation, invasive plants in Costa Rica, and connectivity on U.S Highway 2. My current research is looking at Bison reintroduction and its effects on the landscape in terms of vegetation changes. 

Peter Mumford, MS Student

As a passionate traveler and wildlife professional, I have seen both the surreal beauty of the natural world and what can happen to it as anthropogenic pressures take their toll. My goal is to use wildlife research to help strike a pragmatic balance between people and wildlife, while minimizing negative impacts to ecosystem function. More specifically, my research interests include spatial ecology and resource use, population dynamics, and organismal responses to landscape scale changes. I have been privileged to work for an array of entities on projects ranging from studying the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox, to American beavers, to mountain goats. Moving forward, I’d like to continue working on projects that have a high degree of application to wildlife management and conservation. My Master’s research is in collaboration with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, and focuses on the second phase of a project examining the spatial ecology of elk in the Sapphire mountains. This research will provide insight regarding the increasingly frequent, and potentially problematic, phenomenon occurring throughout the western United States of large game species spending more time on private lands.

Rick Astley, Honorary Lab Member

My interests center on the role cohesion plays in the relationships of social animals. My current project has already made groundbreaking strides in quantifying the value and relative importance of a balanced life to interdependent individuals. In my free time I enjoy dancing, spending time outdoors, and being a stable role model.

Learn more: a balanced life.