Tanya Shenk has joined the Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystems Unit (CESU) as a research coordinator for the National Park Service. Shenk will begin working in UNL's School of Natural Resources on Feb. 23.
"We are anticipating Dr. Shenk's arrival and integration into the School of Natural Resources," said Larkin Powell, professor and director of the Great Plains CESU. "Her background and interests will coordinate very nicely with our faculty groups in the school who work with wildlife and habitat, climate and water issues."
The Great Plains CESU is a partnership of 21 universities and NGOs and 10 federal agencies in the region, including the National Park Service. The CESU facilitates a funding agreement that allows quick responses to the needs of federal agencies for research in natural resource and cultural issues.
"We are thrilled that the National Park Service is committed to maintaining this long-term relationship with UNL as the host of the Great Plains CESU," Powell said. "The partnership with the National Park Service allows faculty members at UNL and other institutions throughout the Great Plains to perform valuable, applied research that has an impact on public lands throughout the Great Plains and beyond."
Shenk has been a landscape ecologist with the National Park Service in Fort Collins, Colorado since 2010. Her previous work focused on fragmentation and climate change issues that relate to conservation of wildlife. She is also well-known for her work with lynx. Shenk received her master's and doctoral degrees from Colorado State University.
Shenk will operate as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Natural Resources. As research coordinator, she will be responsible for finding scientists at UNL and 20 other CESU-partner universities in the Great Plains to fill research needs of the National Park Service.
"I am very much looking forward to my new position with the National Park Service, working on conservation science issues in the Great Plains and getting to know the UNL community," Shenk said.
— Mekita Rivas, Natural Resources