College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Blog

Category: Academics

CFRES Welcomes New Faculty Member and Celebrates Faculty Advancement

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Christian L. John smiles at the camera, wearing sunglasses and hiking gear as he treks across a mountainous landscape dotted with stones and wild grasses.
Christian L. John, a new faculty member in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, does most of his fieldwork in remote, rugged places. (Photo courtesy Christian L. John)

The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science announces a new faculty member. Christian L. John begins his duties with CFRES as an assistant professor of environmental data science and biostatistics. John, who earned his PhD from the University of California Davis, is a landscape ecologist investigating how global change affects seasonal ecological processes. John said the journey to his research niche has been a long adventure that began in his high school biology lab.

Along the way, he’s dabbled in molecular biology, hummingbirds, and archaeology. He comes to Michigan Tech with expertise in landscape dynamics, phenology, and seasonality; animal migration and movement ecology; and multiscale remote sensing and field validation of satellite products.

He’s looking forward to sharing his academic passion and curiosity with his students.

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Wildlife Students Gather Field Data with Flighty Participants

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A point-of-view shot from the back of a canoe shows a student sitting at the front, facing away from the camera towards the sun rising over the Sturgeon River. The canoe is headed down the river towards a bridge. The river is lined on either side with trees and brush.
Wildlife ecology and conservation students perform real-world field research and data collection as part of their capstone projects. (Photo courtesy of Stacy Cotey)

Hands-on research and data collection are essential preparation for a career as a wildlife professional. The wildlife capstone course offered by the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) guides students through the joys and challenges of collecting data on some of nature’s most elusive research subjects. One of this year’s teams focused on how the bat population uses forest gaps, while another examined how environmental factors relate to bird sightings.

Wildlife Students Close the Gap on Bat Data

Stacy Cotey, assistant teaching professor for CFRES, leads the course, which this academic year included Meghan Boelens, Derek Weide, Jacob Sutter, Graham Bishop and Grace Simpson, all wildlife ecology and conservation students. The Huskies took a closer look at how forest gaps and the way those open spaces are used can affect the bat population.

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One Final Lesson: CFRES Grad Selected to Address Fellow Huskies at Mid-Year Commencement

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Quinn Riordan stands in the UJ Noblet Forestry Building, smiling with her arms crossed in a confident pose.
Quinn Riordan looks forward to a career teaching others about environmental stewardship, thanks to her hands-on experiences at Michigan Tech.

When Quinn Riordan shares her farewell message as the 2025 student speaker for Midyear Commencement, she’ll also be continuing to prepare for her future.

“I’m pursuing a career in environmental education and research, which requires a lot of public speaking,” said Riordan. “What’s a better opportunity to get more practice than in front of my whole class?”

Riordan, who is earning her bachelor’s degree in applied ecology and environmental science, said she’s honored to be selected as speaker and grateful to College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Dean David Flaspohler, who gave her the nudge she needed to throw her hat into the ring.

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