Who We Are
Leadership and Staff
Eric Sproles
Director
Eric earned his PhD in Water Resources Science at Oregon State University, applying
a range of geospatial tools and models to better understand climate impacts on snowpack.
His curiosity of all things geospatial blossomed during his MSc at the University
of Oregon where he worked in the InfoGraphics Lab. Eric also leads the Geospatial Snow Water & Ice Resources Lab (GeoSWIRL) at MSU.
Jackson Rose
Assistant Director and Geospatial Analyst
Born and raised in Montana, Jackson is a certified GIS professional (GISP) who earned
a master's degree from MSU in 2020. Jackson's research looked at rural communities
that host large-scale underground mining projects, with a focus on non-regulatory
agreements between communities and international mining companies.
In addition to teaching responsibilities within the department of Earth Sciences, Jackson's role includes implementing and overseeing geospatial research projects in collaboration with various public and private organizations.
Scott Powell
Assistant Director
Scott is an ecologist who leverages geospatial data and tools to investigate a wide range of topics including forest ecology, precision agriculture, ecosystem dynamics, invasive species, and land use change. His teaching covers remote sensing, landscape ecology, and environmental science. He earned his PhD in Ecology from Montana State University and has been on the faculty of the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences since 2009.
Student Employees
Eddie Skye-Webb
Student GIS Technician
Eddie is an undergraduate student at Montana State University majoring in Earth Sciences with concentrations in Geography and Snow Science. As a GIS technician, Eddie uses GIS to advance project management while working with GCF's partners. One of these accomplished projects involved a collaboration with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust to help map conserved lands across Gallatin County.
Tyler O'Neil
Student GIS Technician and Drone Pilot
Tyler is an undergraduate student at Montana State University majoring in Earth Sciences with a concentration in GIS and Planning. He is a GIS Analyst and certified drone pilot who specializes in spatial data analysis and remote sensing. His work involves flying drones to collect LiDAR data and other geospatial information, which he uses to generate actionable insights for research, environmental analysis, and mapping projects for the GCF. Tyler is passionate about leveraging cutting-edge geospatial technologies to solve complex spatial problems and drive data-driven decision-making.
Madeline Minutelli
Digital Media Coordinator
Madeline is an undergraduate student at Montana State University majoring in Earth Sciences with a concentration in GIS and Planning. Her role with GCF allows her to combine passions for GIS, social media, and digital arts. She enjoys working on geospatial projects that explore the intersections of society and the environment. This fall, Madeline will be pursuing a Master's Degree in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation from the School of Engineering at Lund University in Lund, Sweden.
Advisory Board
Alison Harmon
Vice President of Research and Economic Development
Dr. Alison Harmon is Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Montana State University. Prior to this role, she served as Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Development at MSU and remains a professor of food and nutrition and sustainable food systems in the Department of Health and Human Development. Harmon’s scholarship has focused curriculum development and educator guidance around food systems and sustainability. She enjoys the fine arts, culinary experimentation, and ‘getting lost’ in the great outdoors of Montana with her family.
Coltran Hophan-Nichols
Research Cyberinfrastructure Senior Manager
Coltran is the Senior Manager of the Research CyberInfrastructure (RCI) program at Montana State University. He is an experienced leader with deep technical knowledge driven to build productive and positive teams. Coltran has over ten years of experience ranging from system administration to project management and team leadership. He is passionate about providing top notch research support and solutions in alignment with institutional objectives.
Annie Burgess
Professor - Earth Sciences
Annie is an instructor in the Earth Sciences Department at Montana State University. She has a Masters in Geography from Appalachian State University and a PhD from the University of Utah, focusing on Snow Hydrology in the Western US. For 10 years, Before teaching at MSU, Annie worked for ESIP, a non-profit funded by NASA, NOAA, and USGS, with a mission to make scientific data more actionable by those working to solve pressing global challenges. Annie’s biggest joy is connecting with people and she is a passionate advocate for Montana’s public lands.
Emily Elias
Core Facilities Fiscal Manager
Emily has a passion for developing systems that help other researchers maximize their time and effort, and she is excited to offer her support to MSU’s core laboratories. She holds a B.A. in chemistry from St. Olaf College and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Montana State University, where her research focused on palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and church community, playing music, and volunteering.
Catherine Dunlop
Associate Professor - History
Catherine is an Associate Professor in the History and Philosophy Department at Montana State University. Her research explores historical conflicts over the meaning and use of natural landscapes in modern Europe. Catherine has published two books, Cartophilia and The Mistral. Cartophilia examines the role of mapmakers in the French-German border dispute over Alsace-Lorraine. The Mistral focuses on the environmental history of Provence's violent and uncontrollable mistral wind. She is currently working on a new research project that investigates the role of environmental knowledge in the planning, execution, and aftermath of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Beth Nelson
Professor - Earth Sciences
Beth Nelson is a human geographer in the Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University. Her current research examines migration trends in the Western U.S. and in North Africa. With research experience in France, Algeria, Montserrat, and the U.S., her studies have covered topics ranging from renewable energy in the American Southwest, to immigrant integration in Paris. Beth implements geospatial analysis and mapping into research on migration in the western United States and as a component of teaching undergraduate courses.
Cascade Tuholske
Assistant Professor - Earth Sciences
Cascade Tuholske is an Assistant Professor of Human-Environment Geography in the Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University. His research centers on linkages between climate change, urbanization, and food security, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. To study these linkages, he leverages a broad range of methods, from remote sensing and the development of novel geospatial analytical tools to household surveys and interviews. He received his PhD in Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2020.
cascade.tuholske1@montana.edu
Elise Loggers
PhD Student - Ecology
Elise is currently pursuing a PhD with the Department of Ecology at Montana State University. Her dissertation will build on her previous work with grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park. This project is a partnership between NPS, USGS, and Yellowstone Forever. After initially obtaining her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, she spent three consecutive years working as a biological technician in Yellowstone National Park where she collected non-invasive DNA samples from cougars and bears during snow-tracking and hair snare projects. Elise spent over 300 hours observing wolf behavior during intensive studies and skied over 1,000 miles each winter to visit GPS locations of wolves and cougars to determine kill rate and diet composition. She monitored grizzly bears from aerial surveys, worked with bears to attempt to correct negative behavior, and surveyed plots of important bear foods.
Anna Schweiger
Assistant Professor - LRES
Anna is an Assistant Professor at Montana State University in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences. Her work is all about remote sensing of biodiversity. Currently, her research focuses on the association between plant spectra, plant form and function, biodiversity metrics that can be remotely sensed and their potential to integrate biological, spatial, and temporal scales. She is also interested in mapping plant traits and functional groups, plant species and disease to support ecosystem management, restoration, and protection. Anna completed her Ph.D. at the University of Zurich in the Remote Sensing Lab and completed post docs at the University of Minnesota in the Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior and at the University of Montréal in Québec as part of the Canadian Biodiversity Observatory (CABO).
Mary Gauvin
Director of the RED Core Facilities
Mary Gauvin is the Director of the RED Core Facilities at Montana State University. She holds a BS and MS in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut, and her research focused on maternal programming in ovine and bovine models. Mary has over 6 years of diverse experience in program development and management, marketing, and compliance, and is enthusiastic about bringing these skills to the RED Core Facility program to enhance operations and help core facilities achieve their highest potential. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children, painting pet portraits, and reading.
