Dr. Barney’s research is broadly focused on the causes, consequences, epidemiology, management, and policy of invasive plant species.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Restoration ecology
- Social science, economics, & policy
Steering Committee
We will build teams across the university and develop transdisciplinary partnerships with government and tribal agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry, and local communities to promote deep understanding of invasive species’ impacts on society. In doing so, we will foster a holistic environment where science, policy, and the humanities meet to tackle this global challenge.
Dr. Jacob Barney
ISC Director and Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Dr. Bryan Brown
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Dr. Brown’s research focuses on aquatic ecology, including community ecology and biodiversity, metacommunity structure and assembly, and the impact of invasions on symbiotic interactions.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Stacy Endriss
Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology
Dr. Endriss is an evolutionary ecologist with a passion for understanding the evolution, ecology, and impacts of introduced plants, especially in the context of species invasion and dispersal.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Community engagement & science communication
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
Dr. Luis Escobar
Assistant Professor
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
A key component of Dr. Escobar’s research is developing theory and methods to study the biogeography of infectious diseases, disease ecology, and invasion biology. Current projects include bat-borne rabies, chronic wasting disease, spatial epidemiology in the Anthropocene, and disease-biodiversity relationships.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
Dr. Carrie Fearer
Assistant Professor
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
Dr. Fearer’s research explores the micro- and macro- level impacts of nonnative pathogens on forest ecosystems. She has studied laurel wilt disease, beech bark disease, beech leaf disease, and walnut witches’ broom.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
- Restoration ecology
Dr. David Haak
Associate Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Dr. Haak’s research is focused on identifying genomic regions of plants and microbes that can be used to improve plant health to promote a sustainable and secure food supply.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Hallie Harriman
ISC Program Coordinator
Hallie is the Program Coordinator for the Invasive Species Collaborative (ISC) at Virginia Tech. A proud alumna of Virginia Tech (B.S. Natural Resources Conservation) and the University of Georgia (Masters of Agricultural and Environmental Education), she has a passion for practical and ethical land management. Hallie brings nearly ten years of natural resource management experience to the ISC and is now responsible for overseeing a diverse portfolio of programmatic, communicative, and administrative activities.
Thematic Area(s):
- Community engagement & science communication
Dr. Meryl Mims
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Dr. Mims’ research investigates how species’ traits and environmental attributes interact to influence community and population structure of aquatic organisms. Her overarching goal is to uncover, understand, and predict differential response of aquatic species to a changing landscape and climate.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Haldre Rogers
Associate Professor
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Dr. Rogers’ research focuses on population and community ecology, plant-animal interactions, seed dispersal, pollination, food web dynamics, tropical biology, ecosystem services, and conservation. A majority of the research is conducted on the Mariana Islands, where due to the introduction of the brown tree snake, Guam’s forests are now functionally without birds.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamic
- Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Todd Schenk
Associate Professor
School of Public and International Affairs
Dr. Michael Sorice
Associate Professor
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
Dr. Sorice’s research interests focus on individual and group behavior as it relates to environmental stewardship with an emphasis on the role of natural resource users and landowners in protecting biodiversity and imperiled ecosystems.
Thematic Area(s):
- Community engagement & science communication
- Social science, economics, & policy
Jordan Thompson
M.S. Student
Department of Entomology
Thompson’s research explores the ecological impact of Asian jumping worm (Amynthas agrestis) on soil ecosystems through analyses of soil properties, microbial enzymes, and microarthropod communities.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
Dr. Dara M. Wald
Associate Professor
School of International Public Affairs
Dr. Wald’s research explores the drivers of conflict and the barriers to effective communication in environmental contexts, including issues of trust, identity, and power in the management of water, land, and wildlife. This work informs the domains of environmental psychology, environmental and risk communication, and public policy.
Thematic Area(s):
- Community engagement & science communication
- Psychology and human behavior
- Social science, economics, & policy
Past Steering Committee Members
Dr. Jamie Bucholz | Freshwater Mussel Technician Manager, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Grace O’Malley | Ph.D. Student, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech
Dr. Emily Reed | Regional Invasive Plant Coordinator, Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition
Dr. Scott Salom | Professor and Graduate Program Director, Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech
Dr. Joe Drake | Postdoctoral Researcher, Peterman Lab, The Ohio State University
