UGA ICON - Integrative Conservation Ph.D. Program - University of Georgia

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UGA ICON - Integrative Conservation Ph.D. Program - University of Georgia Integrative Conservation PhD Program at the University of Georgia: Training agile scientists to addr

Integrative Conservation PhD Program at the University of Georgia

23/05/2025

🌟 CICR Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Deepak Mishra, Merle C. Prunty, Jr. Professor & Associate Head, Department of Geography, The University of Georgia; Director, Center for Geospatial Research.

We’re proud to spotlight Dr. Mishra, a leading voice in geospatial science and remote sensing innovation at . As Director of the Center for Geospatial Research, he is at the forefront of using remote sensing technologies to tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges.

This summer, Dr. Mishra and his team are launching an exciting new project funded by NASA’s Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) Program. The project aims to develop high-resolution blue carbon products that will, for the first time, capture detailed spatial-scale dynamics across diverse tidal conditions and species in southeast U.S. tidal wetland ecosystems.

The goal? To enhance baseline carbon stock observations in small, fragmented marshes, and to support site-specific restoration efforts, engineering projects, and managed ecosystems. By leveraging freely available remote sensing tools, this open-science project will ensure reproducible research, with data and models shared openly with stakeholders and end-users.

This work directly addresses key knowledge gaps identified by the National Academy, helping to reduce uncertainty in blue carbon ecosystem stocks and fluxes—a vital step in our fight against climate change.

Join us in celebrating Dr. Mishra’s leadership and the incredible impact of his work on our environment and our future.

Learn more: https://geography.uga.edu/directory/people/deepak-r-mishra

Meet Shinyeong Park, a PhD candidate in the   +Forestry program.Her research explores human-wildlife coexistence near Ko...
13/05/2025

Meet Shinyeong Park, a PhD candidate in the +Forestry program.

Her research explores human-wildlife coexistence near Korea’s DMZ, one of the most ecologically unique and politically sensitive areas in the world. She focuses on the supplemental feeding of endangered migratory cranes—a conservation practice that not only shapes ecological outcomes but also reflects complex human-animal relationships and political uncertainties in the region.

The DMZ and the surrounding Civilian Control Zone are critical wintering habitats for cranes, but ongoing tensions make long-term conservation a challenge. Through interviews, ecological experiments, and on-the-ground fieldwork, Shinyeong examines how feeding practices can evolve to support sustainable coexistence.

After a year in Korea—interviewing locals, tracking cranes, and sifting through thousands of wildlife camera images—Shinyeong is now writing a manuscript on the ethics of crane feeding and preparing to present at the IASNR conference this June.

She says, “It was a tough but invaluable experience. Even with limited time and funding, I gained insights that only come from being in the field and engaging directly with people and place.”

Stay tuned as Shinyeong continues to bridge science, ethics, and policy in one of the world’s most fascinating landscapes.


University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources UGA Research

Save the date for the upcoming PhD proposal defense by Nancee Uniyal, a doctoral student in the Integrative Conservation...
07/05/2025

Save the date for the upcoming PhD proposal defense by Nancee Uniyal, a doctoral student in the Integrative Conservation (ICON) and Geography at the University of Georgia.

Her proposal, titled “Investigating the Hydro-Social Cycle of the Ganga River Water Quality Through NASA Earth Observation, Community Perspectives, and Policy Insights,” explores the intersection of environmental science, community engagement, and policy in the context of one of the world’s most iconic river systems.

The defense will take place on Friday, May 16, at 10:00 AM in Room 147, Geography-Geology Building. Please scan the QR code to join over Zoom.

Nancee’s committee includes Drs. Deepak Mishra (Major Advisor), Marguerite Madden, Abhishek Kumar, Jesse Abrams (ICON Representative), and Kelly D. Alley (External Member).

All are welcome to attend and support Nancee’s important work!

Geography Department - University of Georgia UGA Research

🌟 ICON Student Spotlight: Patty TorresMeet Patty Torres, a PhD candidate in the Integrative Conservation ( ) + Forestry ...
02/05/2025

🌟 ICON Student Spotlight: Patty Torres

Meet Patty Torres, a PhD candidate in the Integrative Conservation ( ) + Forestry program at The University of Georgia (University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources), whose research is making critical contributions at the intersection of health, environment, and equity.

Patty recently published part of her PhD work in the One Health journal, exploring tick-borne disease exposure among Native American communities in Northern California. She examines how environmental conditions and cultural practices shape exposure risks—and, importantly, how these insights can inform culturally grounded prevention strategies.

Read the paper here: https://lnkd.in/eNhCw7Xv

Combining ecological sampling, molecular analysis, and social science methods, Patty’s research reflects a powerful One Health approach—connecting human, animal, and environmental health to tackle systemic inequities in disease risk.

Join us in celebrating Patty’s work and her commitment to collaborative, community-centered research. 👏

Know more about Patty: https://lnkd.in/ekr6EcUw
About the ICON PhD Program: https://lnkd.in/g55_yJEA






  Please join us in supporting Aoife Kate Pitts, Ph.D. student in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology, as she pres...
23/04/2025


Please join us in supporting Aoife Kate Pitts, Ph.D. student in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology, as she presents her prospectus defense:
“Chagras in Transition: Agroforestry, Livelihoods, and Knowledge in the Colombian Amazon.”

📅 Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Location: Baldwin Hall, Room G32

See the attached flyer for more details!

  Dissertation Defense:Please join us in celebrating an important milestone in the academic journey of Suneel Kumar, Ph....
23/04/2025

Dissertation Defense:
Please join us in celebrating an important milestone in the academic journey of Suneel Kumar, Ph.D. Candidate in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology, as he defends his dissertation: “The Life of Delta: A More-Than-Human Ethnography of the Indus Delta in Pakistan.”

Suneel’s work explores the dynamic relationships between humans and more-than-human worlds in one of South Asia’s most ecologically and culturally significant Indus Delta. His committee includes Drs. Laura German (Major Advisor), Pete Brosius, St. Pierre, Krista Capps (ICON representative), and Akhter Majed (External, King's College London).

📅 Date: Friday, April 25
🕣 Time: 8:30 AM Eastern
*Scan the QR code for Zoom Link

Let’s come together to support and celebrate Suneel’s incredible research and hard work!

22/04/2025

Happy Earth Day from the Center for Integrative Conservation Research!
Today, we celebrate our planet and the incredible work our graduate students and faculty do. By combining research, innovation, and community, we’re building a sustainable future for "all-beings." Let’s continue to work together for a healthier, greener Earth.

hashtag hashtag hashtag
Follow us for updates: https://cicr.uga.edu/

ICON Spotlight Series: Sameera Gujarathi Talati🎓 PhD Candidate | ICON & Ecology UGA ICON - Integrative Conservation Ph.D...
16/04/2025

ICON Spotlight Series: Sameera Gujarathi Talati

🎓 PhD Candidate | ICON & Ecology
UGA ICON - Integrative Conservation Ph.D. Program - University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology

Sameera’s dissertation challenges the idea that individual motivation alone drives conservation. Instead, she dives deep into how structural forces—like income inequality, governance, and power dynamics—shape environmental choices. She says, “People don’t make environmental decisions in a vacuum.”

From urban fossil fuel tax support in Europe to reef protection efforts among coastal fishers in Gujarat, India, her research spans continents and disciplines.

In Gujarat’s fisheries, she zooms out—using a political ecology lens to explore how historic policies, socio-economic disparities, and fragmented governance influence the entire industry’s resource management.

Drawing on environmental psychology, behavioral economics, social wellbeing theory, and political ecology, Sameera’s work is a call to reimagine change—not just at the individual level, but through deep, structural transformation.

Sameera recently defended her dissertation, titled, “Beyond the Individual: Contextual Forces Shaping Environmental Behavior and Conservation Across Scales”. Her PhD Committee includes Drs. Seth Wenger (co-advisor), Susana Ferreira (co-advisor), Nik Heynen (ICON representative), Laura Zimmerman, and Laurie Fowler.

As she nears the completion of her PhD, we wish Sameera all the best in her future endeavors!

🎉 Amit Kaushik (ICON & Anthropology PhD candidate) recently co-authored two papers published in Conservation Biology, as...
15/04/2025

🎉 Amit Kaushik (ICON & Anthropology PhD candidate) recently co-authored two papers published in Conservation Biology, as part of the Special Issue on Trends and Future Directions in the Conservation Social Sciences. SCB's Social Science Working Group, Society for Conservation Biology

Read more here: https://cicr.uga.edu/new-research-looks-at-the-future-of-conservation-training/

PhD Defense HAPPENING NOW!🗣️Kanchana Balasubramanian (ICON/Forestry)“Ecological and Social Dimensions of Ecosystem Servi...
04/04/2025

PhD Defense HAPPENING NOW!
🗣️Kanchana Balasubramanian (ICON/Forestry)
“Ecological and Social Dimensions of Ecosystem Services: Gendered Perceptions and Spatial Prioritization for Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation Planning”
📅Friday, April 4, 8:00 AM
Warnell Building 4-132
Join Zoom Meeting
Https://zoom.us/j/96965544592?pwd=2thPrf3uVJ0Z5axsj37YAlomxYThAo.1
University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resourcesl UGA Graduate School

ICON Breakfast Meeting with Wade DavisJoin us for a breakfast conversation with Wade Davis on the power of communication...
31/03/2025

ICON Breakfast Meeting with Wade Davis

Join us for a breakfast conversation with Wade Davis on the power of communication and storytelling in our changing world, facilitated by Pete Brosius. ☕️🍩

*Coffee & pastries from Big City Bread will be served!

📅 Date: Wednesday, April 2
⏰ Time: 9:00-10:00 AM
📍 Location (Hybrid): Pinnacle Room, 4th Floor, Baldwin Hall

RSVP now if you're interested (please check your email for details)!

06/03/2025

Many federal scientists have lost their jobs. However, they possess several marketable skillsets beyond the lab or field..

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