EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D.   Harvard University, June 1995 (Landscape Ecology)
            Dissertation title: “Spatial Arrangement of Patches and Corridors in the Landscape:
            Consequences for Biological Diversity and Implications for Landscape Architecture,” 240 pp.
M.S.    University of Nebraska-Lincoln, August 1987 (Biology)
            Thesis title: “Leaf Miner/Bittercress Interaction: Experimental Evaluation of a Spatial Pattern of     Resource Use,” 95 pp.
B.A.     Kansas State University, 1985 (Biology)

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
    
2003-present    Associate Professor, Joint appointment with Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Colorado-Boulder
1998-2003        Assistant Professor, Joint appointment with EPO Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Colorado-Boulder
1996-98            Assistant Professor, Environmental Design, University of California-Davis
1995                  Instructor, Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado-Boulder
1990-95            Teaching Fellow, Department of Environmental Studies and Public Policy and Graduate School of Design, Harvard University
1992-94            Assistant Director, Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado-Boulder
1990                  Program Officer for Life Sciences, The Center for Field Research, Watertown, MA
1989-90            Teaching Fellow, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
1987-89            Research Assistant III, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
1985-87            Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
1985-87            Graduate Research Assistant, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, CO
1983-85            Field Assistant, Department of Biology, Kansas State University

RESEARCH EMPHASIS

My scholarship and teaching emphasize understanding the ecological consequences of human-induced changes to natural systems. My research centers on the impacts of habitat loss, fragmentation, and restoration on the persistence of native species. My current projects focus s pecifically on the impacts of landscape alteration on disease dynamics in prairie dogs and the use of ecological theory to guide efforts to restore vernal pool ecosystems that have been degraded by human activities. I am particularly interested in the interface between environmental science and policy regarding endangered species and habitat protection.  

CURRENT RESEARCH GRANTS

National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, Joint program in Ecology of Infectious Diseases, “Landscape effects on disease dynamics in prairie dogs,” 2002-2007, $1,776,000 (Project Director, with 7 collaborators)

RESEARCH AND CREATIVE WORKS

Edited volumes and symposia
Collinge, S.K. (Editor). 2001. Special Issue: Spatial ecology and biological conservation. Biological Conservation 100(1): 1-150.
Collinge, S.K. and C. Ray (Editors). 2006. Disease ecology: community structure and pathogen dynamics. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Symposia organized
Collinge, S.K. “Spatial ecology and conservation,” Society for Conservation Biology, June 2000, Missoula, MT.
Collinge, S. K. and C. Ray. “Emerging diseases: stressing the union of community ecology and epidemiology,” Ecological Society of America, August 2003, Savannah, GA.

Peer-reviewed research publications

Invited book reviews
Collinge, S.K.  1997. Review of McCullough, D.R. (Editor). 1996. Metapopulations and Wildlife Conservation. American Zoologist 37(6):653-654.
Collinge, S.K. 1999. Review of Nassauer, J. (Editor). 1997. Placing Nature: Culture and Landscape Ecology. LandForum 01:28.

Additional technical publications (non-peer reviewed)
Collinge, S.K. 1999. Vernal pool and endangered species mitigation for Travis Air Force Base, California: Mitigation plan. 34 pp.
Collinge, S.K. 2001. Vernal pool and endangered species mitigation for Travis Air Force Base, California: Implementation and monitoring report, Year 1.  23 pp.
Collinge, S.K. 2002. Vernal pool and endangered species mitigation for Travis Air Force Base, California: Implementation and monitoring report, Year 2. 19 pp.
Collinge, S.K. 2005. Aero Club monitoring report, Travis Air Force Base, California: vernal pool mitigation and monitoring activities, January 2000-May 2005. 25 pp.

Popular press
Collinge, S.K.  Endangered species: let’s not fool ourselves. Invited column for Boulder Daily Camera, May 27, 2001.
Collinge, S.K. Reversing habitat loss in the West.  Invited column for Boulder Daily Camera, March 30, 2003.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Current courses taught
Conservation Biology: EBIO/ENVS 3040
Critical thinking in Environmental Studies:  Conservation biology and planning: ENVS 4800
Conservation Ecology: EBIO/ENVS 6100, Graduate seminar in conservation science and policy

Current postdoctoral associates and graduate students
Postdoctoral research associates
    Chris Ray, Research Associate, 1999-present, mathematical modeling of disease dynamics in grassland ecosystems
    Bai Ying, Research Associate, 2003, molecular biology of bacterial pathogens in grassland rodents
    Tord Snäll, Research Associate, 2005-06, mathematical modeling of disease dynamics

Graduate students
    Jory Brinkerhoff, 2003-present, grassland fragmentation and prairie dog disease dynamics, Ph.D.
    Sue Rodriguez-Pastor, 1999-present, avian response to habitat fragmentation, Ph.D.

Awards and Honors
“Tracking plague in the plains,” Cover story featuring Collinge lab research for University of Nebraska Alumni magazine Columns, Summer 2005.
University of Colorado CRCW Faculty Fellowship, 2005-2006
Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellowship, 2004
Organization for Tropical Studies “Tropical Biology” selected participant, 1993
Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1986
Best Paper Award, Student Symposium, University of Nebraska, 1986
Jessie Lee Fellowship, University of Nebraska, 1986
International 4-H Youth Exchange representative to Luxembourg, 1983