3 new faculty join SNRE starting Fall 2023!

Dr. Shang Gao, Assistant Professor, Watershed Management & Ecohydrology

Shang is a hydrologist focusing on hydrologic extremes like floods and droughts under a changing climate. His methodology involves integrating high-resolution hydrologic models, remote sensing observations, and data-driven techniques to gain a deeper understanding of surface water dynamics. Before joining UArizona, Shang worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oklahoma. In 2019, Shang obtained his Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. He also holds an MS in Environmental Engineering from University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Jessica Rick, Assistant Professor, Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation Management

Jessica has a broad interest in investigating how environmental change drives evolution in fish and wildlife populations. Her research uses population genomic and phylogenomic methods to examine the drivers and genetic basis of local adaptation, hybridization, and macroevolutionary patterns, with a focus on species of conservation concern. Jessica is a graduate of the University of Wyoming where she earned her PhD in Ecology. She also earned an MS in Integrated Biosciences from the University of Minnesota and BS from UArizona in Biology.

Dr. Scott A. Jones, Professor of Practice, GIS & Remote Sensing

Scott is an interdisciplinary researcher who uses remote sensing and GIS approaches to explore land use and land cover change. Specifically, his research is focused on the rates and dynamics of shrub encroachment into arid and semi-arid regions as well as the impacts this can have on various ecosystem functions and services. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona where he completed his PhD in Arid Lands Resource Sciences. Before coming to UArizona, Scott earned an MS in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University where he worked fishing cooperatives in Chiapas, Mexico. He also holds an MEd in secondary education from Arizona State University.