People

Our research is primarily focused on identifying and overcoming barriers in ecological restoration. Understanding these potential barriers and constraints can help us effectively direct our efforts to ensuring restoration success. Within this framework, our lab’s research encompasses multiple fields including plant, soil, and rangeland ecology as well as soil-seed bank studies and native seed-based restoration. 

              Members of the Faist lab April 2024

Current Lab Members

  • Akasha Faist

    Akasha Faist (PI)

    Akasha obtained a bachelor's degree in biology at Southern Oregon University in 2004. She earned her PhD in 2015 at the University of Colorado - Boulder in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department where she also held a position as a postdoctoral scholar. Following her academic degrees she worked as and assistant professor for New Mexico State University's Range Science program from 2017-2022. In the fall of 2022, Akasha joined the faculty at the University of Montana where she works as an assistant professor of rangeland and restoration ecology.

  • Ryan Schroeder

    Ryan Schroeder (PhD)

    Ryan is working on his PhD studying the interaction of soil properties and soil seed bank composition, dynamics, and distribution in rangeland ecosystems. The goal of his work is the development of a predictive framework that can be used to understand the regenerative potential of sites to inform and target rangeland management and ecological restoration.

  • Molly Reichenborn

    Molly Reichenborn (PhD - NMSU)

    Molly is a PhD student at New Mexico State University looking at how mesquite herbicide treatment efficacy varies across levels of encroachment and what this means for vegetation recovery in dryland systems. She is broadly interested in the mechanisms underpinning the maintenance, invasion, and successful restoration of ecological communities while delevoping data-supported management practives to guide effective land stewardship. She is co-advised by Dr. Eric Lehnhoff at NMSU - EPPWS department. 

  • Sophia Lasché

    Sophia Lasché (MS)

    Sophia is currently working on her Master's degree in native seed based restoration practices, investigating differences between seed sources to help build resiliency in dryland restoration practices. 

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    Abby McMurtry (Lab Manager)

    Abby earned her master's degree at Boise State University studying carbon destabilization in soils under various influences such as plant growth and erosion. She currenlty manages the Faist lab.

  • Ande Peersen

    Ande Peersen (Lead Field Technician)

    Ande earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Kentucky in social sciences and currently works as our lead field technician for a study investigating various treatments to Bromus tectorum i.e. cheatgrass, an aggressive annual invasive grass.