Achievement

Trainee Brian Hand, whose research integrates computational ecology and landscape genetics to understand functional connectivity was recipient of a Montana EPSCoR Research Grant in support of his studies. Brian also was awarded funding for travel to the International Congress on Conservation Biology, in Auckland New Zealand from 5-9th of December 2011 where he presented on his PhD thesis work “GARM, a Genetic Algorithm for Resistance Map Creation”. Brian also traveled to Australia and Monash University for 6 weeks to work with Dr. Paul Sunnucks (chief investigator) and graduate student Nevil Amos, both of Monash U and the Molecular Ecology Research Group whose research program is titled "Birds in Fragmented Landscapes: Genes to Landscapes". Both trips were a unique and exceptional student experiences, which provided him with important long-term career preparation and contacts.