Assistant Professor
Office Location
W-401B Turner Hall, MC-047
1102 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: 217-244-2729
Email: schooley@uiuc.edu
Education
Ph.D., Ecology, Colorado State University, 2002
M.S., Wildlife Management, University of Maine, 1990
B.S., Wildlife Science, Pennsylvania State University, 1986
Areas of Expertise
Statistics & Experimental Design, Remote Sensing, GIS, & Spatial Analysis, Animal Ecology, Biodiversity, Conservation Biology & Ecosystem Health
Faculty member since 2005
How I got interested in this field
Unlike some wildlife ecologists that grew up in rural areas immersed in the natural environment, I grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh (and remain a lifelong Steelers fan). Nevertheless, I always was intrigued by animals and enjoyed spending time outdoors. Prior to going to college, I was unaware of the field of wildlife ecology. Fortunately, during my first year I encountered an excellent zoology teacher who got me excited about environmental sciences and introduced me to fieldwork in wildlife conservation. I have never looked back. So, the entry into my chosen discipline was sparked by a fascination with nature, especially animal behavior, and the desire to contribute to conservation. It was a bit later on when I realized that I also enjoyed all aspects of the scientific process including formulating research questions, experimental design, statistical analysis, and technical writing. Still, the fieldwork is the best part of the job. My current research areas that integrate aspects of landscape ecology were strongly shaped by interactions over the years with my PhD advisor. Hence, mentors have been important in initiating and refining my career path.
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Research Interests
My general research areas include wildlife ecology, conservation biology, and landscape ecology. I have particular interests in habitat fragmentation, landscape connectivity, and metapopulations; animal movements; behavioral landscape ecology; spatial scaling; and statistical modeling of species distributions. As a field ecologist, I attempt to combine rigorous sampling with GIS and statistical analyses within a theoretical framework to understand how the distribution and abundance of species is related to habitat structure. I enjoy integrating aspects of behavioral ecology and landscape ecology, such as investigating how a species perceptual range affects its dispersal behavior and landscape connectance. I also am interested in how spatial scale affects inferences about organism-environment relationships. Finally, I enjoy applied research aimed at understanding how human land-use practices influence persistence of wildlife species, especially those inhabiting patchy landscapes. My current research program is centered on the ecology and conservation of mammals, but I welcome graduate students and other collaborators with different taxonomic preferences but interesting questions.
Faculty Member, Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Faculty Advisor, Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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