Research Staff
Damon Hall
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Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA Assistant Professor, Biomedical, Biological & Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA Affiliated Faculty, Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA Director, The Center for Watershed Management and Water Quality Coordinator, Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability My research examines the interactions between social and ecological systems where science, policy, and culture meet. My research is audience-focused addressing questions of how to make usable knowledge for sustainable transitions. My research is transdisciplinary in that it engages stakeholders, managers, and scientists to design transformational solutions that make sense to how people—whose behavior is the target of policy—commonly experience their world. I completed a PhD in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences as a Boone & Crockett PhD Fellow in Conservation Policy at Texas A&M University. My dissertation research was sponsored by the US Army Corps of Engineers and involved in-depth social field research to understand riverfront landowners’ perceptions of federal, state, and local riparian management on the Yellowstone River in Montana. I hold a MA in Communication and a BS in Agriculture concentrating on Forestry and Natural Resources both from Purdue University. I was a National Science Foundation-supported Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative directed by David Hart and chaired by Robert W. Kates. I joined the University of Missouri as a part of the "Pillars of Pursuit" cluster hire under Sustainability inFEWSed (Food, Energy, Water, Smart Cities) in 2018. Teaching: Graduate Emphasis Areas: Human Dimensions of Natural Resources; Water Resources; Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Undergraduate Emphasis Areas: Environmental Sciences; Natural Resource Science & Management Certificate Coordinator for the Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability Links: Faculty Page GoogleScholar ResearchGate Loop OrchidID |
Kathryn Kidd |
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA I am pursuing my M.S. in the interdisciplinary emphasis area of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Columbia. I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2019 with a BA in Environmental Studies. In addition to my graduate research, I have a graduate assistantship with the MU Sustainability Office where I lead projects such as Tiger Tailgate Recycling and annual waste audits as well as assist in the development of the University of Missouri-Columbia's STARS Report. My research interests focus on social-ecological systems, environmental policy, and geopolitics. I hope to use my education at MU to discover better ways to advocate for environmental justice. |
Nicole Amezcua Morfin
Graduate Research Assistant
George Washington Graduate Carver Fellow Ronald E. McNair Graduate Fellow University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA Through the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, I am excited to be conducting research in water resource sustainability. Environmental sustainability and water quality are a passion of mine. My career goals include working with individuals and organizations to help transition them towards sustainability. I aim to find ways to raise awareness of the importance of social interactions with our natural systems to ensure longevity of human and ecological resources. |
Summer Fisher

Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
I am a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia dual majoring in Environmental Sciences and Spanish. My emphasis area in Environmental Sciences is Outreach and Education; I hope to educate diverse audiences about science and the importance of caring for the earth. I have a passion for not only the environment, but for volunteering, mission work, and community service.
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
I am a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia dual majoring in Environmental Sciences and Spanish. My emphasis area in Environmental Sciences is Outreach and Education; I hope to educate diverse audiences about science and the importance of caring for the earth. I have a passion for not only the environment, but for volunteering, mission work, and community service.
Emma Heienickle

Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
I am a junior at the University of Missouri Columbia and originally from Saint Louis, Missouri. I am dual majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Environmental Sciences. I am passionate about developing new concepts to make our world more sustainable for years to come. I want to promote clean energy sources, eliminate single use plastics, and overall want to reduce our carbon footprint. Before coming to college, I volunteered at the Missouri Botanical Gardens and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
I am a junior at the University of Missouri Columbia and originally from Saint Louis, Missouri. I am dual majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Environmental Sciences. I am passionate about developing new concepts to make our world more sustainable for years to come. I want to promote clean energy sources, eliminate single use plastics, and overall want to reduce our carbon footprint. Before coming to college, I volunteered at the Missouri Botanical Gardens and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
Lisette Perez

Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
I am a senior from the South Side of Chicago, IL studying Natural Resources Science & Management with an emphasis in Human Dimensions in the School of Natural Resources. I enjoy learning about the environment and how it connects with policy and society. I hope to promote conversations of Environmental Justice and work in Environmental Policy field in Chicago and eventually in other countries.
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
I am a senior from the South Side of Chicago, IL studying Natural Resources Science & Management with an emphasis in Human Dimensions in the School of Natural Resources. I enjoy learning about the environment and how it connects with policy and society. I hope to promote conversations of Environmental Justice and work in Environmental Policy field in Chicago and eventually in other countries.
Edoardo Desiderio
Visiting doctoral student
Agricultural, Environmental, Food Science Technology, University of Bologna, Italy I’m a Ph.D. student in Agricultural, Environmental, Food Science Technology, curriculum International Cooperation. I completed a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Technologies and a master’s degree in Economics and Management, curriculum Food System Management. My current research as an agricultural economist aims at reducing the impacts of agri-food systems, trough the integration of economics and Life Cycle Thinking. In particular, the main areas of my studies evolve around the assessment of social impact of the aforementioned systems, declined on the economic aspect. along the food supply chain, replacing traditional food packaging with bioplastics based one, trough the integration of Social Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing and Life Cycle assessment. Other topics of research are related within the wide field of food waste inside the European framework Horizon2020. |
Join the Lab: Seeking Research Assistants (ongoing)
Graduate Research in the Sustainability Science Lab:
I accept students who want to work on one or more of my projects or have funding to work within my project areas. The School of Natural Resources has fellowship opportunities for students with exceptional academic records. For general M.S or Ph.D. admission questions, see: Human Dimensions of natural resources graduate program OR Water Resources graduate program and contact the appropriate program coordinator. For specific interest in joining the lab, please send me:
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Graduates
Maddie Emerson MS 2020
Andrea Burr, PhD 2018
Leah Kunkel, MS 2018
Molly Laycob, MS 2018
Spencer Ruggles, MS 2018
Rebecca Steiner, MS 2018
Alissa Benchimol, MS 2017
John Hamill, MS 2017
Nicholas McCreary, MS 2017
Nicole Schaeg, MS 2017
Bram Boettge, MS 2015
Sarah Burke, MS 2015
Amelia Fisher, MS 2015
Amy Hargis, MS 2014
Jen Myerscough, MS 2014
Maddie Emerson MS 2020
Andrea Burr, PhD 2018
Leah Kunkel, MS 2018
Molly Laycob, MS 2018
Spencer Ruggles, MS 2018
Rebecca Steiner, MS 2018
Alissa Benchimol, MS 2017
John Hamill, MS 2017
Nicholas McCreary, MS 2017
Nicole Schaeg, MS 2017
Bram Boettge, MS 2015
Sarah Burke, MS 2015
Amelia Fisher, MS 2015
Amy Hargis, MS 2014
Jen Myerscough, MS 2014
Collaborators
Gerardo R. Camilo, Saint Louis University, Department of Biology
Darren Ficklin, Indiana University, Department of Geography
Susan J. Gilbertz, Montana State University-Billings, Director of the Environmental Studies Program
Chris Lowry, University at Buffalo, Department of Geology, Physical Hydrogeology Lab
Jason Knouft, Saint Louis University, Department of Biology
Eli D. Lazarus, University of Southampton, Geography & Environment Unit, Environmental Dynamics Lab
Rebecca K. Tonietto, Department of Biology, University of Michigan-Flint
Michael Quartuch, Cornell University, Human Dimensions Research Unit, Department of Natural Resources
Matthew Anderson, Eastern Washington University, Geography
Christine Costello, Penn State University, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Gail Langellotto, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture
Jamie McEvoy, Montana State University, Department of Earth Sciences
Carla Atkinson, University of Alabama, Department of Biological Sciences
Lucas C. Ward, Rocky Mountain College, Director of the Environmental Management and Policy Program
Krista Capps, University of Georgia, Odum School of Ecology, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Darren Ficklin, Indiana University, Department of Geography
Susan J. Gilbertz, Montana State University-Billings, Director of the Environmental Studies Program
Chris Lowry, University at Buffalo, Department of Geology, Physical Hydrogeology Lab
Jason Knouft, Saint Louis University, Department of Biology
Eli D. Lazarus, University of Southampton, Geography & Environment Unit, Environmental Dynamics Lab
Rebecca K. Tonietto, Department of Biology, University of Michigan-Flint
Michael Quartuch, Cornell University, Human Dimensions Research Unit, Department of Natural Resources
Matthew Anderson, Eastern Washington University, Geography
Christine Costello, Penn State University, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Gail Langellotto, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture
Jamie McEvoy, Montana State University, Department of Earth Sciences
Carla Atkinson, University of Alabama, Department of Biological Sciences
Lucas C. Ward, Rocky Mountain College, Director of the Environmental Management and Policy Program
Krista Capps, University of Georgia, Odum School of Ecology, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory