Degrees Held:Brennan

B.A. Biology; minor Latino and Latin American Studies; Wake Forest University, 2017

M.Sc. Forestry and Natural Resources (Natural Resource Social Science); Purdue University, 2020

Degree Sought:

Ph.D. Ecology & Environmental Science (Natural Resource Social Science)

Advisor:

Dr. Sarah Church

Research Project:

Title: Exploring community-based conservation on private lands: Social and spatial analysis of landscape connectivity, cooperation, and power in the Regional Conservation Partnership Program

Adequate habitat connectivity, the flow of organisms and ecological processes over a landscape, is necessary for migrating fish and wildlife. However, managing for this landscape-level issue is particularly difficult in the US, where over 70% of land is privately owned and managed. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a US federal Farm Bill cost-share conservation program for working landowners, has the potential to advance connectivity at a landscape-level. However, RCPP is relatively understudied in terms of cooperation, collaboration, and decision-making, with little known about how power dynamics among participating stakeholders influence the former processes. Using mixed-methods to study RCPP projects with goals to advance habitat connectivity across the US, I seek to characterize these processes through the lens of community-based conservation and power, and assess these projects’ impacts to the broader ecosystems and participating stakeholders.

Preferred Email Address:

[email protected] 

Research and Professional Experience:

  • Graduate research and teaching assistant, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT (2021-present)
  • Conservation research fellow, Center for Large Landscape Conservation, Bozeman, MT (2021)
  • Research associate, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (2021)
  • Graduate research and teaching assistant, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (2018-2020)
  • Park ranger assistant, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, NM (2017)

Publications and Presentations:

Peer-reviewed Publications:

  • Peer reviewed article: Ogunyiola, A., Esman, L.A., Getson, J.M., Behbehani, L., Popovici, R., Radulski, B.G., and Prokopy, L.S. “Explaining the relationship between climate change and solar energy acceptance on different land uses among Indiana residents.” Under review: Energy Research & Social Science.
  • Report: Ogunyiola A., Popovici R., Behbehani. L., Esman, L.A., Getson, J., Radulski, B.G., & Prokopy, L.S. (2022). Do Indiana residents find it acceptable to use solar panels? Solar survey in Indiana. West Lafayette: Purdue University.
  • Peer reviewed article: Getson, J.M., Church, S.P., Radulski, B.G., Sjostrand, A.E., Lu, J., and Prokopy, L.S., “Understanding scientists’ communication challenges at the intersection of climate and agriculture,” In Press: PLOS ONE
  • Peer reviewed article: Weiner, R., Church, S.P., Lu, J., Esman, L.A, Getson, J.M., Fleckenstein, M., Radulski, B., Ranjan, P., Usher, E., Prokopy, L.S., Pfeiffer, L. (2021) “Climate Change Coverage in the United States Media During the 2017 Hurricane Season: Implications for Climate Change Communication,” Climatic Change: 164(3)
  • Thesis: Radulski, B. G. (2020). Understanding Human Disturbance to Birds at the Intersection of Birding and Bird Photography (Master’s Thesis, Purdue University Graduate School)
  • Report: Getson, J.M., Sjöstrand, A. E., Radulski, B. G., Church, S. P., Hatfield, J. L., & Prokopy, L. S. (2018) USDA-NIFA Climate Portfolio: Climate Professional Survey Report. West Lafayette: Purdue University.
  • Directed research: Radulski, B.G. (2016). Expectations fulfilment according to age and gender: implications of the marketing of Indigenous Tourism in Far North Queensland, Australia. Yungaburra: School for Field Studies – Centre for Rainforest Studies.

Conference Presentations:

  • Presentation: “Advancing habitat connectivity for migrating wildlife with Farm Bill legislation and programs,” International Association of Society and Natural Resources Conference, June 2022
  • Poster presentation: “Using Farm Bill legislation and programs to advance habitat connectivity for migrating wildlife,” College of Science and Letters Award Ceremony, April 2022
  • Poster presentation: “Human disturbance to birds from Illinois and Indiana birders and nature photographers,” International Association of Society and Natural Resources Conference, June 2019

Honors and Awards:

  • College of Letters and Science Dean’s Travel Fund grant, Montana State University (2022)
  • Departmental Teaching Assistantship, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University (2021)
  • University Fellowship, College of Science and Letters, Montana State University (2021)
  • Departmental Research Assistant Fellowship, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University (2018)