FROSTBURG, MD (October 16, 2017) – Dr. Mark Cochrane and Dr. Tyler Flockhart have recently joined the faculty of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s (UMCES) Appalachian Laboratory.
“The Appalachian Lab is proud to present two new faculty members who will help provide the scientific expertise needed to inform management of the region’s natural resources,” said lab director, Dr. Eric A. Davidson. “These scientists are world class, yet their interests fit closely with concerns in our area about forest fire risk and animal populations.”
Dr. Mark Cochrane comes to the Appalachian Laboratory from South Dakota State University, Department of Natural Resource Management, where he held the position of Professor at the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence. He is an ecologist and wildfire expert, who researches the characteristics, behaviors, and effects of fire in tropical and temperate forests. He looks forward to working in local forests with area forest managers and other AL researchers to assist local decision-makers and to learn more about how forests may be changing and what those changes may mean for management decisions.
“I like looking at dynamics, understanding how things work. If we know how something works, we can change it,” said Dr. Cochrane.
“I’m very happy to be part of the Appalachian Laboratory’s faculty. My wife and I have been eager to return to the East Coast for a while now, and the Lab provides the perfect opportunity to be part of a collaborative faculty and to engage in local field work.”
Dr. Cochrane holds a Ph.D. in Ecology from the Pennsylvania State University and an S.B. in Environmental Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds the rank of Professor.
The Appalachian Lab is proud to present two new faculty members who will help provide the scientific expertise needed to inform management of the region’s natural resources. These scientists are world class, yet their interests fit closely with concerns in our area about forest fire risk and animal populations.
The Appalachian Laboratory also welcomes Dr. Tyler Flockhart to the faculty this fall. Dr. Flockhart most recently served as a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellow through the Universities of Guelph and Queensland and the David Suzuki Foundation. He is a population ecologist and conservation biologist whose research focuses on understanding what factors influence animal population changes. He looks forward to conducting collaborative research with Appalachian Laboratory faculty and to involving community members in his research activities.
“I like to solve really difficult problems and to involve people- community members, students, citizen scientists, and other stakeholders- in that work,” said Dr. Flockhart.
“I was drawn to the Appalachian Laboratory because of its world-renowned reputation and its faculty, whose members pursue their diverse research interests in collaborative ways. That the Lab calls such a welcoming, beautiful place as western Maryland home makes this truly an amazing opportunity. “
Dr. Flockhart holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the University of Guelph, a M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Saskatchewan, and a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Alberta. He holds the rank of Assistant Professor.
About UMCES Appalachian Laboratory: The Appalachian Laboratory, a research center of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, is located at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Frostburg, Md. Scientists conduct research on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including air and water quality, wildlife management, and land conservation throughout the world, with an emphasis on the rich and diverse environments of Western Maryland and the broader Appalachian region. Visit www.umces.edu/al or facebook.com/UMCES. Follow UMCES on Twitter @UMCES.
