2023-2024 University of Wyoming Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
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 Return to: Colleges and Schools
2013 Agriculture Building
(307) 766-2263
FAX: (307) 766-6403
Web site: uwyo.edu/esm
Department Head: Scott N. Miller
Professors:
JEFFREY L. BECK, B.S. Brigham Young University 1993; M.S. 1996; Ph.D. University of Idaho 2003; Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2018, 2007.
THIJS KELLENERS, B.S. Wageningen University, The Netherlands 1988; M.S. 1993; Ph.D. 2001. Professor of Soil Science 2018, 2012.
SCOTT N. MILLER, B.S. Brown University 1991; M.S. University of Arizona 1995; Ph.D. 2002; Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2017, 2002.
VIRGINIA B. PAIGE, B.A. Colorado College 1984; M.S. University of Massachusetts 1992; Ph.D. University of Arizona 2000; Professor Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2019, 2004.
SCOTT R. SHAW, B.S. Michigan State University 1977; M.S. University of Maryland 1981; Ph.D. 1984; Professor of Entomology 1998, 1989.
PETER D. STAHL, B.S. Oklahoma State University 1978; M.S. University of Wyoming 1982; Ph.D. 1989; Professor of Restoration Ecology 2009, 2000; Director, Wyoming Reclamation and Restoration Center.
TIMOTHY R. COLLIER, B.S. University of California-Riverside 1987; Ph.D. University of California-Santa Barbara 1994; Associate Professor of Entomology 2008, 2002.
KRISTINA HUFFORD, B.A. University of California-Berkeley 1993; Ph.D. University of Georgia 2001; Associate Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2017, 2010.
MELANIE MURPHY, B.S. University of Idaho 1998; M.S. 2001; Ph.D. Washington State University 2008; Associate Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2017, 2010.
MENGQIANG ZHU, B.E. North China Electric Power University 2002; M.S. Chinese Academy of Sciences 2005; Ph.D. University of Delaware 2010; Associate Professor of Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry 2019, 2013.
Associate Professors:
DAVID CHRISTIANSON, B.S. Montana State University 2003; Ph.D. 2008; Assistant Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2019.
TIMOTHY R. COLLIER, B.S. University of California-Riverside 1987; Ph.D. University of California-Santa Barbara 1994; Associate Professor of Entomology 2008, 2002.
KRISTINA HUFFORD, B.A. University of California-Berkeley 1993; Ph.D. University of Georgia 2001; Associate Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2017, 2010.
MELANIE MURPHY, B.S. University of Idaho 1998; M.S. 2001; Ph.D. Washington State University 2008; Associate Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2017, 2010.
J. DEREK SCASTA, B.S Texas A&M University 2004; M.S. 2008; Ph.D. Oklahoma State University 2014; Assistant Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2014.
LINDA VAN DIEPEN, B.S. Hogeschool IJselland, Deventer 1999; M.S. Wageningen University 2002; Ph.D. Michigan Technological University 2008; Assistant Professor of Soil Microbiology 2015.
KAREN L. VAUGHAN, B.S. University of Delaware-Newark 2001; M.S. University of Maryland-College Park 2004; Ph.D. University of Idaho-Moscow 2008; Assistant Professor of Pedology 2015.
MENGQIANG ZHU, B.E. North China Electric Power University 2002; M.S. Chinese Academy of Sciences 2005; Ph.D. University of Delaware 2010; Associate Professor of Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry 2019, 2013.
Assistant Professors:
FABIAN NIPPGEN, M.S. Albert-Ludwigs University 2007; Ph.D. Montana State University 2014; Assistant Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2017.
KEVIN WILCOX, B.S. Central Washington University 2008; Ph.D. Colorado State University 2015; Assistant Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2018.
Academic Professionals:
SCOTT SCHELL, B.S. University of Wyoming 1991; M.S. 1994; Senior Extension Entomologist 2005, Associate Research Scientist 2009.
Adjunct Professors:
Justin Derner, Jack Morgan, Brenda Schladweiler, Gerald Schuman, Nancy Shaw, Ramesh Sivanpillai
Professors Emeriti:
Ann Hild, Alexandre Latchininsky, David Legg, Larry Munn, Richard Olson, Katta Reddy, J. Daniel Rodgers, Quentin Skinner, Michael Smith, Peter Stahl, John A. Tanaka, George Vance, James Waggoner, James Wangberg, Thomas Wesche, Stephen Williams
Degrees Offered
Major
Minor
Graduate
Certificate
Undergraduate Study
The Department of Ecosystem Science and Management offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management. This degree can also be obtained as an affiliate degree in conjunction with the School of Environment and Natural Resources. Five minor degree programs are offered through the department: Insect Biology, Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management, Soil Science, Forest Resources, and Reclamation and Restoration Ecology. Obtaining a minor to complement a B.S. major degree program provides credentials and knowledge that can expand career opportunities.
The degree programs reflect the department’s diverse expertise in natural resource and agriculture sciences. Students completing degrees offered through the department are well prepared for careers in natural resource management and sustainable agriculture (e.g., range management, watershed management, restoration ecology/reclamation of degraded land, wildlife habitat management, biocontrol/ integrated pest management, soil science and various types of environmental consulting) or other science careers.
Student Learning Outcomes
The goal of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management is to provide students with comprehensive knowledge in several different areas in addition to their specific area of study. These expectations ensure that students may take these learned skills and successfully apply them in their post-graduate endeavors. Assessments in all areas are based on knowledge, skills, and attitude.
These areas include:
Oral communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression and sharing of information, ideas, and feelings in a format including verbal and nonverbal symbols.
Proficiency in written communication will ensure that students will be able to write for different audiences, from expressive writing to technical writing, using a range of sophistication in language.
Professional behavior involves attaining high standards of behavior and appropriate attitudes, not only through acquiring knowledge and experience but a lifelong commitment to learning and achievement.
Competency in critical thinking and problem-solving will enable students to engage in reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.
Computer and information literacy ensures that students will be viewed as trainable and adaptable in a computerized work environment. Proficiency in this area also enables students to effectively access online information, and skillfully make use of it.
The results in these different areas will aid the department in:
Planning instructional strategies to address student strengths and weaknesses;
Evaluating and describing overall student achievement;
Counseling students for academic and career options; and
Evaluating the effectiveness of instructional programs.
Graduate Study
The Department of Ecosystem Science and Management is an interdisciplinary department made up of five disciplinary areas: entomology, rangeland ecology, soil sciences, agroecology, and watershed management. The department offers master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in entomology, rangeland ecology and watershed management, and soil science. A water resources dual major may be obtained in conjunction with each of these master’s degrees. For the rangeland ecology and watershed management degrees, thesis and dissertation problems may be developed in aspects of range ecology, wildlife habitat, reclamation of disturbed lands, watershed management, utilization and improvement of rangelands, and many other facets of range and forest ecology management. For the entomology degrees, thesis and dissertation problems may be developed in many areas of basic and applied aspects of insect ecology. For soil degrees, thesis and dissertation problems may be developed in many basic and applied aspects of soil science. The degree programs reflect the department’s diverse expertise in natural resource and agriculture sciences. Students completing degrees offered through the department are well prepared for careers in natural resource management and sustainable agriculture (e.g., range management, watershed management, restoration ecology/reclamation of degraded land, wildlife habitat management, biocontrol/integrated pest management, soil science, and various types of environmental consulting) or other science careers. A graduate certificate in reclamation and restoration ecology may be obtained after completion of a B.S. degree or in conjunction with an M.S. or Ph.D. degree.
Program Specific Admission Requirements
Admission is contingent upon a faculty member being willing to assume responsibility for working with the student as an adviser.
Applicants are encouraged to initiate correspondence with faculty who share similar research interests as part of the process of securing faculty advising commitment.
In special circumstances, and with the faculty adviser’s support, a student may be admitted in a provisional status with continued enrollment dependent upon meeting performance requirements specified at the time of admission.
Program Specific Graduate Assistantship Information
Current graduate assistantship availability, subject of study, and remuneration can be determined by checking: www.uwyo.edu/esm. Prospective students are also encouraged to directly correspond about future opportunities for graduate assistantships with faculty that share similar research interests.
Courses of instruction in the department are offered in entomology, rangeland ecology and watershed management, renewable resources, and soil science.
Environment and Natural Resources Affiliate Degrees
The Bachelor of Science degree in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management offered through the Ecosystem Science and Management Department may also be obtained as an affiliate degree with the School of Environment and Natural Resources (i.e., the degree titles would be Environment and Natural Resources/Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management). The additional coursework requirements necessary for obtaining an affiliate degree are described in the School of Environment and Natural Resources section of this publication.
Interdisciplinary Programs
Water Resources (WARE)
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
2013 Agriculture Building
Phone: (307) 766-4274
Program Director: Scott N. Miller
M.A. or M.S. in (Program Name)/Water Resources
Academic departments across the university cooperate to provide master of arts or master of science degree programs that contain multidisciplinary training in water resources. The master’s degree offered through these affiliations is awarded as a major with each of the sponsoring department’s graduate programs. The water resources interdisciplinary major will be acknowledged on the graduate transcript and thereby certify to potential employers that the candidate has completed an in-depth multidisciplinary course program in the broad area of water resources.
The educational underpinnings of this program include the following: The purpose of the program is to provide multidisciplinary education and to impart a multidisciplinary perspective to candidates. Training is to be consistent with the rigor of professional water resources demands. The interdisciplinary major program is flexible so as to meet the candidates’ individual professional objectives.
Primary responsibility for student guidance and graduate program formulation resides with the sponsoring department and sponsoring major professor. Please refer to latest updated information on the website listed above. Upon acceptance to the program, the sponsoring department must assign a member of the Water Resources Curriculum Committee to the candidate’s graduate committee. The Water Resources Curriculum Committee’s representatives on the candidate’s graduate committee shall aid in formulating deficiency requirements, course program design, academic performance criteria, and research objectives throughout the candidate’s tenure in the program.
Program Specific Admission Requirements
University application and fee; Application fee is valid for three years; Official documentation indicating bachelor’s degree earned (not necessary if UW is the most recent institution attended); Potential candidates are encouraged to apply for admission to this program by contacting the participating department and by specifying at the initiation that they desire admission to the water resources interdisciplinary major. Their credentials will be evaluated by the sponsoring department and the department recommends admission of the individual into the program to the UW Admissions office.
Program Specific Degree Requirements
The academic program of study undertaken by the candidate must be designed to enhance the student’s background and expertise through formal graduate-level coursework in the areas of: (1) technical hydrology, (2) natural resources economics and/or law, and (3) water quality. To ensure a minimum multidisciplinary character, the course program must contain nine hours of coursework with at least 3 hours from each of the aforementioned areas and at least 6 of those credit hours must be from outside the student’s sponsoring department, along with a 1 credit hour seminar on water resources organized through the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. Only Plan A master’s degree programs, which require the writing of a thesis in the water resources area, are acceptable for the water resources degree option.
Each student in the water resources interdisciplinary major program will be required to complete this course once during their graduate program. As part of the requirements for the seminar: (a) students will be required to present a seminar on a current water resource issue in Wyoming and to develop an executive summary of their issue to distribute to class participants. Each student is also required to participate in a discussion group following each seminar which stresses the interdisciplinary nature of the issue; (b) during the course of a student’s graduate program, he/she will be required to present one seminar for the seminar series (preferably on some aspect of their thesis research). This presentation does not have to occur during the semester that the student is officially signed up for seminar credit.
WARE Degree Programs
Majors
Additional Interdisciplinary Degree Programs
ProgramsMajorMinorGraduate- Ecosystem Science and Management/Applied Economics, Ph.D.
- Entomology, M.S.
- Entomology, Ph.D.
- Entomology/Water Resources, M.S.
- Hydrology, Ph.D.
- Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management, M.S.
- Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management, Ph.D.
- Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management/Water Resources, M.S.
- Soil Science, M.S.
- Soil Science, Ph.D.
- Soil Science/Water Resources, M.S.
- Water Resources, M.A.
- Water Resources, M.S.
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