STAFF
Andrew Larson
Andrew Larson is the Director of the Wilderness Institute. Larson earned bachelor and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington and joined the UM faculty in 2009. He currently is an associate professor of forest ecology and researches forest and fire ecology, forest management, restoration and climate change adaptation. He has a long history of collaboration with leaders in wilderness science. In 2013, Larson was recognized with the U.S. Forest Service National Wilderness Award for Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Research.
Andrea Stephens
Andrea Stephens is the Director of Undergraduate and Field Education for the Wilderness Institute. She received a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Puget Sound and a master's degree in environmental studies from the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. Andrea has designed, taught and directed undergraduate field programs in western Montana for 20 years. Since moving to Missoula in 1989, Andrea has also taught high school earth science; led trail crews in MT, WY and AK; created her own volunteer field biology program to assist the USFS in surveying roads and culverts and mapping boreal toad breeding habitat; led field crews for six seasons collecting genetic and snorkel survey data on westslope cutthroat trout; and helped coordinate Aerie Backcountry Medicine's Semester in Wilderness Medicine in its inaugural decade. Driving all this work is Andrea's belief in the life-changing impact of experiential, outdoor education.
Heidi Blair
Heidi Blair is the Wildlands Communications Coordinator at the Wilderness Institute. She earned a BA in Latin America Studies from Colby College and a MS in Resource Conservation with an option in International Conservation and Development from the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥, where she studied public lands management in Chilean Patagonia and the western US. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Natural Resource Conflict Resolution from UM. At the WI, she partners with the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute to manage Wilderness Connect, a wilderness education and outreach program for practitioners and the public. She also works on the interagency Wilderness Character Monitoring Database.
STUDENTS
Josh Beisel
Hailing from Western Washington, Josh is a PhD student in the Systems Ecology program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Occidental College in 2020 and has several seasons of work experience with the US Forest Service and National Park Service. His research interests include fire ecology, ecological forestry, dendrochronology, and global change impacts on forested systems, especially regarding the future of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis; WBP). When not doing fieldwork or measuring tree cores, he enjoys hiking, backcountry snowboarding, and cooking new recipes.
Bianca Giunti
Bianca is an Argentine native with a background in environmental science and geography. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Geography with a concentration in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥, her research focuses on wetland conservation, specifically studying wetland transformation and developing efficient mapping methods for national inventories. She has hands-on experience working with the O’Connor Center on wetland mapping projects in Alaska and Wyoming. Prior to this, Bianca earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and contributed to outdoor education in California. She also volunteered in Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia, Argentina, gaining invaluable field experience. Outside of academics and research, Bianca enjoys reading, skiing, and engaging in various water sports.
Sydney Hamilton
Sydney is a Wilderness Studies Archivist and Storyteller for the Matthew Hansen Endowment at the Wilderness Institute. She is currently working towards a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and is on the TV and Film track. She's passionate about the outdoors and creative work, especially writing and videography, and loves when her work intersects those two things.
Daniel Martin
Daniel Martin is a student archivist and storyteller for the Matthew Hansen Endowment at the Wilderness Institute. He is a double major in Environmental Science and History with a minor in Climate Change Studies. With a background in environmental and climate policy and governance, Daniel is focused on protecting the environment for future generations.
Madelyne Miller
Madelyne is a Student Recruiter for the Wilderness Institute, working to promote the Wilderness and Civilization program and support student outreach. She is currently working towards a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology with minors in Environmental Studies and Wilderness Studies. Madelyne finds the ways in which people interact with the natural world to be fascinating and important to our society, and thus hopes to continue studying this aspect of human life in her future.
Rose Shimberg
Rose Shimberg is the Wilderness Connect Social Media Coordinator at the Wilderness Institute. She received a BA in Geography from the University of Vermont and is currently pursuing a master’s in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. Rose spent several years working in the outdoor industry in Utah before entering the journalism field. She is a passionate storyteller who hopes to explore the intersection of society and the natural world through her work.
Aly Traffis
Aly is a Student Recruiter for the Wilderness and Civilization program, working to promote and support student outreach. She is working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Parks, Tourism, Recreation, and Management with minors in Wildlife Biology and Wilderness Studies. Aly focuses on visitor’s behaviors regarding wildlife and recreation use in national parks. She hopes to pursue a life of helping better the national park system.