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. Robert Cooper
Assistant Professor
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Dr. Cooper uses genomic techniques to understand the health of populations and their resilience to anthropogenic pressures, including invasive species and habitat alteration.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
- Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Sally Dickinson
Postdoctoral Researcher
Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare
Dr. Dickinson’s research focuses on the welfare and performance of conservation and agricultural detection dogs. Her most recent project explores how volunteer dog-handler teams — made up of everyday people and their pets — can effectively detect spotted lanternfly egg masses.
Thematic Area(s):
- Community engagement & science communication
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
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
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
Harrison Miles
Ph.D. Student
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
Miles studies the biological control of tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) with a soil-borne fungus (Verticillium nonalfalfae) and their interaction with spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
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. Angela Peace
Professor
Department of Mathematics
Dr. Peace’s research centers on mathematical modeling, particularly as it applies to biological interactions and population growth dynamics. She uses dynamical systems theory and methods to develop, analyze, and interpret biological systems in ecology and epidemiology.
Thematic Area(s):
- Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
- Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
- Mathematical modeling
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. Dara M. Wald
Associate Professor
School of Public and International 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
Gabrielle Ripa | Ph.D. Student, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
Dr. Claudia Nuñez-Penichet | Postdoctoral Researcher, Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech
Dr. Mike Sorice | Associate Professor, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
Dr. Bryan Brown | Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech
Dr. David Haak | Professor, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
Jordan Thompson | Master’s Student, Entomology, Virginia Tech
Dr. Luis Escobar | Professor, Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech
Dr. Todd Schenk | Professor, Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech
Dr. Jamie Bucholz | Postdoctoral Researcher, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech
Grace O’Malley | Ph.D. Student, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech
Dr. Emily Reed | Regional Invasive Plant Coordinator, Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition
Dr. Scott Salom | Professor and Graduate Program Director, Entomology, Virginia Tech
Dr. Joe Drake | Postdoctoral Researcher, Peterman Lab, The Ohio State University