People
Our lab is committed to creating an inclusive community of scholars - one that is full of creative collaborations and supportive relationships. See our Commitment to Diversity.
Do you want to join our lab?
We aim to recruit at least one new PhD student interested broadly in the relationship between people and nature, to start Fall 2027. If interested, please get in touch directly with Taylor Ricketts.
Taylor Ricketts
Professor, Rubenstein School & Director, Gund institute
I'm interested in connecting rigorous interdisciplinary research with real-world conservation problems, both in Vermont and worldwide. My recent focus has been the economic and health benefits provided to people by forests, wetlands, reefs, and other natural areas. I work on understanding how ecosystems provide these benefits, what they are worth (and to whom), and how they might change in the future. Other interests include global patterns of biodiversity, ecological economics, and community and landscape ecology. I went to college at Dartmouth (Earth Sciences) and got my PhD at Stanford (Biology). I directed the Conservation Science Program at World Wildlife Fund for nine years before moving to UVM in 2011. In addition to my faculty post in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, I direct the Gund Institute at UVM.
Post-Docs
Humberto M. Romero Uribe | Post-doctoral associate
As a biologist, I specialize in quantifying carbon dynamics across ecosystems and land uses, exploring the impacts of ecosystem degradation and land-use intensification on ecosystem services and socio-ecological interactions. My goal is to translate scientific findings into practical sustainability solutions. As a postdoctoral researcher at UVM, I'll focus on studying smallholder coffee farms' potential in climate change mitigation and adaptation by devising carbon removal strategies and payment models that incentivize sustainable practices among coffee farmers. Link to my Research Gate
Graduate Students
Ali Lotfi | PhD Student (Co-advised with Nick Aflitto)
As an interdisciplinary researcher, my research interests include human–wildlife interactions and the application of machine learning methods to improve our understanding of ecological systems and address ecological challenges. For my PhD, my focus is on pollination and pollinator identification. I aim to develop and deploy a bee-monitoring system similar to a camera trap. Before this, I earned my B.Sc. in chemical engineering, MSc in entrepreneurship, and MSc in biological data science. Beyond academic interests, I enjoy bouldering, challenging hiking, and wildlife photography. Mountains are my safe spot, and I like to take in the spectacular views from the peaks. Link to my LinkedIn | Google Scholar
Onome Ofoman | PhD Student
I am interested in understanding how forested landscapes impact and are impacted by the biotic, including human, communities living within them. My research at UVM will focus on understanding thed implications of mangrove diversity metrics on ecosystem services. In my spare time, you can find me running, reading, dancing, or eating yummy pastries. Link to my LinkedIn
Carina Manitius | PhD Student (Co-advised with Asim Zia)
I'm an economist working at the intersection of nature and food system transition. My research at focuses on understanding the barriers to transition and identifying ways to overcome them — in particular, the scale and distribution of stranded assets and stranded livelihoods created by shifting to a food system that restores rather than depletes nature. Ultimately, I hope to identify policies that can unlock faster and more ambitious conservation outcomes while ensuring the costs of transition are fairly shared. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, cycling, and swimming. Link to my LinkedIn | Google Scholar
Anna Maassel | Phd student
My research lies at the intersection of environment and health, with a focus on how climate-driven hazards impact vulnerable populations. In my dissertation work, I'm focusing on the impacts of wildfire smoke on children with asthma in regions newly experiencing this hazard. I'm passionate about building interdisciplinary collaborations that turn research into action. My current collaborators include: The Larner College of Medicine at UVM, UVM Children's Hospital, the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP), the Milken Institute School of Public Health at GWU, Children's National Hospital, and the Vermont Department of Health. I am also the lead author of the Human Health chapter of the 2025 Vermont Climate Assessment, which will help public health officials, local governments, clinicians, and families understand how climate change is impacting Vermonters on a local level. In my spare time, you can find me in the mountains, hiking and camping with my dog, Wren.
Leslie Spencer | PhD student (co-advised with Stephanie Hurley)
I am an ecologist, educator, and naturalist focused on wild pollinator conservation in farming landscapes. Before moving to Vermont, I studied wild pollinators in Costa Rican forests and coffee farms, Minnesota prairies, and the urban wilds of Boston. In my free time, you'll find me exploring Vermont on a bike or nordic skis and growing/eating delicious food. Link to my LinkedIn | Substack | Instagram
Advisees
Ben Ryan | PhD | Community Development and Applied Economics, UVM
Lara de Macedo Monteiro | PhD | Rubenstein School, UVM
Debra Hamilton | PhD | Rubenstein School, UVM
Matt Bristol | MS | Food Systems, UVM
Lab Alumni
Postdoctoral Associates
Jessica Balerna. 2025. Google Scholar | LinkedIn
Michelle Talal. 2024. Google Scholar | LinkedIn
Nfamara K. Dampha. 2024. Website | Twitter | LinkedIn
Bryony Sands. 2023. Research Gate | Twitter | LinkedIn
Mario R. Machado. 2023. Website | Google Scholar | Twitter
Laura Bloomfield. 2023. Google Scholar | LinkedIn
Tafesse Estifanos. 2022. Google Scholar | Twitter
Sarah Cusser. 2022. Website | Google Scholar
Luz De Wit. 2021. Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Google Scholar
Tim Treuer. 2021. Website | Twitter
Leif Richardson. 2019. Twitter | Google Scholar
Ranaivo Rasolofoson. 2019. Google Scholar
Nitin Singh. 2018. LinkedIn
Insu Koh. 2017. LinkedIn
Laura Sonter. 2017. LinkedIn
Diego Herrera García. 2016. LinkedIn
Alicia Ellis. 2014. LinkedIn
PhD Students
Aura M. Alonso-Rodriguez. 2026. LinkedIn | Google Scholar
Lázaro Carneiro. 2024. Research Gate
Natalia Aristizábal Uribe. 2024. Google Scholar | Twitter | LinkedIn
Maya Moore. 2023. Google Scholar
Jesse Gourevitch. 2021. Website | LinkedIn | Google Scholar
Aaron J Schwartz. 2020. LinkedIn | Twitter | Google Scholar
Charlie Nicholson. 2018. Twitter | Google Scholar
Keri Watson. 2017. LinkedIn
Steve Posner. 2015. LinkedIn
Graduate Advisees
Craig (CJ) Sands. 2026. LinkedIn
Alison Adams. 2024. LinkedIn
Eva Kinnebrew. 2022. LinkedIn
Jessica Cole. 2022. LinkedIn
Kenna Rewcastle. 2021. LinkedIn
Michelle Brown. 2021.
Adrian Wiegman. 2021. Google Scholar
Pierro Mokondoko. 2019. LinkedIn
Hilary Byerly. 2019. LinkedIn
Samantha Alger. 2018. LinkedIn
Mairi-Jane Fox. 2016. LinkedIn
Sam Carlson. 2015. LinkedIn
Sebastian Castro. 2014. LinkedIn
Joan White. 2014. LinkedIn
Research staff and Assistants
Caitlin Derby. 2025
Ben Mowery. 2024-2025
Peyton Reno. 2023-2024
Dexter Mayo. 2023-2024
Jason Mazurowski. 2018-2023
Katarina Menice. 2021-2023
Manali Rege-Colt. 2021
Alyssa Zawawi. 2021
Kaitlyn Maines. 2019
Clara Sarantopoulos. 2019
Anna Clayton. 2017
Alex Frayer. 2017
Cassidy Motahari. 2017
Jen Hayes. 2015-2016
Liana Vitousek. 2015-2016
Anna Beauchemin 2013
Ashlin Treadway. 2015
Rose Watts. 2015
Erin Cain. 2013
Paige Carncross. 2014
Melissa Moldovan. 2014
Katie Burns. 2013
Elizabeth Gribkoff. 2013
Kristian Moore. 2013