Project Title: Trouble in the High °C’s?: The Influence of Thermally Stable Refugia on Rocky Mountain Pika Occupancy.

Mentors: Chris Ray and Ashley Whipple, INSTAAR/LTER/Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at CU.

Bio: Though she was born in Philadelphia, Claire has also lived in many other parts of the country. Her scientific interests vary and are significantly influenced by natural curiosity as well as a wide range of personal experiences. She is excited about finding new ways to engage and communicate with the public about climate science, and she is also looking forward to spending lots of time in the mountains this summer.

Claire attended the Community College of Denver, where she got her first taste of independent research through a transformative field biology course at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. This fall, she will be attending the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, where she will pursue an advanced degree in Marine Biology. Claire is currently working in collaboration with the Niwot Ridge LTER to assess environmental factors which affect the persistence and extirpation of Rocky Mountain pika populations.

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