The Team
Justine Smith, PI
Justine joined the Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology department at UC Davis in January 2020. Her research interests include predator-prey interactions, movement behavior, foraging ecology, wildlife restoration, and human-wildlife interactions.
EDUCATION
University of California, Berkeley Postdoctoral Scholar
University of California, Santa Cruz PhD: Environmental Studies
University of Colorado, Boulder BA: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology
CONTACT
justinesmith (at) ucdavis.edu
Olivia Feldman, PhD candidate
Olivia is interested in how wildlife, livestock and people interact in working landscapes, and how these dynamics shape human-wildlife conflict. Having grown up and worked in several countries in Latin America and South Asia where people, livestock and wildlife live alongside each other, Olivia is passionate about integrating people into the study of ecological interactions to improve conservation outcomes for both. Olivia is partnered with Rewilding Argentina (RA), and her doctoral research focuses on investigating mechanisms that drive conflict between sheep ranchers and wildlife in the Patagonia region of Argentina, using puma and guanaco collar data, camera trap data and planned experiments in the field. In her work with Rewilding Argentina, Olivia will work closely with other with other scientists (both American and Argentine), ranchers and local communities to promote human-wildlife coexistence and well-being in a recovering Patagonian landscape. Outside of her research, Olivia is passionate about making conservation science more inclusive and collaborative, especially when it is international.
EDUCATION
Johns Hopkins University MS: Environmental Studies
University of Virginia BA: Foreign Affairs
CONTACT
ofeldman (at) ucdavis.edu
Emily Leonhardt, PhD candidate
Emily’s research interests revolve around topics relevant to wildlife management and conservation, particularly wildlife space use and movement ecology. In collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, she will be studying mule deer migration in the Sierra Nevada with a focus on behavioral plasticity and conservation prioritization.
EDUCATION
University of Montana BS: Wildlife Biology, BA: Math
CONTACT
eleonhardt (at) ucdavis.edu
Megan McDaniels, PhD student
Megan is excited to investigate how wildlife behaviors and interactions influence and are influenced by population and community-level processes, particularly in working landscapes and during ecological disturbances. She seeks to apply her findings to on-the-ground conservation issues through active engagement with local communities and policymakers. She has a background in international wildlife research, technology, and conservation, with much of her work focused on protected areas and rangeland systems in the U.S. and East Africa. Megan is also passionate about supporting equity, diversity, and collaboration within the conservation field and international research, and sustainable development that emphasizes the wellbeing and agency of both people and wildlife.
EDUCATION
University of Virginia BS: Environmental Science, BA: Global Studies - Environments and Sustainability, Minor: Ecological and Biological Conservation
CONTACT
mmcdaniels (at) ucdavis.edu
Ishana Shukla, PhD student
Ishana's research focuses on how lethal and non-lethal human disturbance impacts mammalian wildlife communities, and what we can do to remedy those impacts. Specifically, her PhD examines the complexity of apex predator reintroduction and recovery in a human-dominated world. Along with academia, Ishana is committed to DEI efforts in ecology and conservation, and takes an active stance in fostering underrepresented voices.
EDUCATION
University of Victoria MS: Geography
University of California, Santa Cruz BS: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
CONTACT
itshukla (at) ucdavis.edu
Lab Alumni
Postdoctoral Researchers
Kendall Calhoun (2023-2026): Assistant Professor at UBC
PhD Students
Ellie Bolas (2020-2026): President's Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA, Postdoctoral Scholar at CSU
Undergraduate Researchers
Mingyuan Li (2024-2026)
Madison Cornish (2021-2022)
Madison Cornish (2021-2022)
Talia Soalt (2020-2021)
Visiting Researchers
Greta Schmidt (SDSU joint doctoral program; 2021-2022)