Meet the team
We are a team of university faculty, scientists, research associates, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. Learn more about us below!
Colorado State University Faculty
Dr. Lisa Angeloni
I am a Professor in the Department of Biology at Colorado State University and serve as one of the Principal Investigators on the CSU/NPS Sound and Light Ecology Team. In addition to focusing on basic questions about the evolution of animal behavior, my research examines the impacts of human disturbance, including noise and light pollution, on wildlife behavior. Visit my website.
Dr. Sara Bombaci
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. My lab conducts research in conservation biology and in social justice in conservation. We study how human disturbance impacts ecological communities and interactions, and explore novel strategies for restoring biodiversity and ecosystems, both nationally and internationally. We also work to overcome barriers to access to science and conservation for underserved and marginalized groups and to amplify the voices of scientists that identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color. Visit my website.
Dr. Kevin Crooks
I am a Professor in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University and serve as one of the Principal Investigators on the CSU/NPS Sound and Light Ecology Team. My research examines the impacts of anthropogenic disturbances on the natural world. Visit my website.
Dr. Kurt Fristrup
SALET co-founder
ECE research faculty
Colorado State University
I am a retired National Park Service scientist and active researcher affiliated with the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering. I instigated the creation of SALET, the most fruitful and fulfilling collaboration in a career with many great experiences. I have pursued research into the effects of transient and chronic sensory disturbances for wildlife and park visitors for nearly three decades. I also have cultivated engineering innovations for ecological and behavioral monitoring, and explored questions in evolutionary theory and the philosophy of science.
Dr. Kyle Horton
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. My research group focuses on bird, bat, and insect migration using a range of tools and approaches, including the use of radar, acoustics, and citizen science data. Our work addresses a handful of core migration questions, including avian flight strategies, long-term phenological change, population estimates, impacts of artificial light, and migration forecasting. Visit my website.
Dr. George Wittemyer
I am a Professor in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology and serve as one of the Principal Investigators on the CSU/NPS Sound and Light Ecology Team. My research group focuses on characterizing and resolving human impacts on wildlife and their ecosystems. Visit my website.
National Park Service Scientists
Cathleen Balantic, PhD
I specialize in bioacoustics at the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division. I'm interested in what biological sounds can teach us about animal distributions and trends through time in the parks. Knowledge of biological sounds can inspire park visitors and foster broad insights about the impacts of management action, land use, and climate change.
Davyd Betchkal
I joined the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division after five years as a Soundscape Technician at Denali National Park and Preserve. I am tasked with preserving the acoustic and photic resources of the Alaska region parks through science, planning, and outreach.
Emma Brown, M.S.
I am an Acoustical Resource Specialist at the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division. I coordinate the measurement of acoustic conditions in National Parks, as well as analysis and reporting for these data. My favorite natural sound is the 'U'au (Hawaiian petrel).
Damon Joyce
I am a Physical Scientist with the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division. I develop hardware and software to collect acoustic data in National Parks, and work with other parks to help them conduct their own monitoring.
Katie Nuessly, M.S.
I work as an Ecologist with the NPS Natural Sounds and Night Skies Team. I use computer models to study how noise pollution affects national park visitors and wildlife. Noise models generate complex results that include multiple metrics, making it difficult to directly apply to land management actions. Therefore, I also develop science communication products, like infographics, to effectively communicate the important results relevant to management alternatives.
Ashley Pipkin, M.S.
I am a Resource Specialist for the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division for the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. I am responsible for synthesizing soundscape and photic data in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. My favorite natural sounds come from mountain streams and the accompanying life that surrounds them.
Jeremy White, M.S.
I am a Physical Scientist with Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division. My main focus within the division is night sky quality assessments in parks, instrument development and calibration for sky brightness measurements, and assisting parks with planning documents related to night sky resource protection.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Sharon Martinson
Graduate Student
Casey Lee
I'm broadly interested in the effects of land use and habitat fragmentation on wildlife behavior. Here at CSU, I work with the the Sound and Light Ecology Team and the Angeloni, Wittemyer, and Crooks labs to understand the impacts of noise on black-tailed prairie dogs. I'm also interested in spatial and simulation modeling, habitat assessment methodologies, science education, and the perceptions and politics of science. My fascination with sound extends beyond research. I enjoy audio engineering and battling my nefarious alter ego, a classically-trained fiddle player who flirts with mandolin, guitar, and old-timey sensibilities.
Contact one of the CSU faculty team members via their personal website if you are interested in joining our team as a graduate scientist.
Undergraduate Student Workers
Visit our Listening Lab page to find out who is part of our undergraduate team.
Alumni
Visit our Alumni page for information about former team members.
