Dr. Michael Drake

Dr. Michael Drake
Assistant Professor of Environment & Sustainability

Areas of Expertise

  • Conservation Ecology
  • Wildlife Governance
  • Human Dimensions of Wildlife
  • Conservation Economics

Education

  • PhD: Environmental Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, 2021
  • MS: Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, North Carolina State University, 2016
  • BA: Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 2012

Contact:

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Media Contact

Our faculty are available to comment on topics related to areas of interest or expertise. If you need further assistance, call Media Relations at 970-247-6073 or email Media Relations.


About Dr. Michael Drake

I am a Korean-American ecologist that grew up in the Pacific Northwest. My life-long love of wildlife has guided my career and research towards investigating pressing issues in contemporary conservation. I view wildlife conservation as a holistic issue, involving governance and social understanding just as much as biological insight. As such, I strive to merge socio-economic and ecological frameworks into my teaching and research. Previously, I completed my PhD at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021, where my dissertation work focused on community-based conservation in Southern Africa, and my MS at North Carolina State University in 2016, where I studied human perceptions of coyotes in urban areas. Before entering graduate school, I spent time working in Yosemite National Park, completed my BA at the University of Pennsylvania, and received a Fulbright research fellowship in Namibia. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy rock climbing, birding, and wildlife photography, all of which afford me more time to think about the connections between humans and wildlife.