Faculty in the College of Natural Resources are advancing innovation through cutting-edge research that addresses critical environmental and natural resources challenges.

Each month, faculty secure funding from federal and state agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations, supporting initiatives in ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and more.

This report highlights the grants awarded in January 2026, showcasing projects that advance scientific understanding and deliver real-world solutions.

Click on the projects listed below to learn more:

• Perceptions of Gambling and Betting Addictions Among ACC Student-Athletes and Administrators
• Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1)
• Continued Monitoring and Building Capacity for Conservation of State-Threatened Rio Grande (Western) Cooter in New Mexico
• Collaborative Research: Eastern Fire-Net – Frontiers in Understanding Novel Fire Systems in the Eastern U.S.

Perceptions of Gambling and Betting Addictions Among ACC Student-Athletes and Administrators

PI: Bryan Clift
Direct Sponsor Name: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Awarded Amount: $1,725

Abstract: Since the legalization of online sports betting in 2024, gambling and sports betting have seen increasing online wagering. Some estimates have placed the percentage of college students engaging in sports betting as high as 75%. Prior research on gambling highlights that gambling issues among students can lead to feelings of guilt and depression, exacerbate other risky behaviors, lower social support, cause debt, and even lead to suicidal ideation.

Among college athletes and within college athletics, there is a limited understanding of how both students and administrators perceive it compared with other common addictive behaviors college students face. The psychological, academic, and financial harm of sports gambling on college students is well-documented. However, because it is a newer phenomenon, administrators may not view it as a significant problem.

Existing research, including studies from the NCAA, has primarily focused on the quantitative aspects of student behavior. A new qualitative study could explore the perceptions of both student-athletes and administrators on sports gambling and other addictions. By gathering their subjective opinions, this research can provide the ACC with valuable insights to inform future programming, prevention, and educational efforts to address this growing issue.

Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1)

PI: Ross Meentemeyer
Direct Sponsor Name: U.S. National Park Service
Amount Awarded: $50,000

Abstract: Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1).

Continued Monitoring and Building Capacity for Conservation of State-Threatened Rio Grande (Western) Cooter in New Mexico

PI: Ivana Mali
Direct Sponsor Name: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Awarded Amount: $45,000

Abstract: The project will survey populations of Western River Cooter as needed to update the status of those populations, which are located within the Black River drainage in Eddy County, New Mexico, and the Pecos River drainage in Chaves and Eddy counties, New Mexico. It will collect biological information on captured turtle species, particularly Western River Cooter, to update knowledge of the condition of turtle populations in the identified drainages. The project will also gather information on the habitat of Western River Cooter and, as needed, assess potential threats to the populations in the identified drainages. Researchers will obtain appropriate permission and any necessary additional permits for work on parks, refuges, and private lands, including handling or retention of state- or federally protected species, and will secure written permission from landowners for the release of private-land locality information regarding any New Mexico threatened or endangered species. Trap data will be analyzed using the Huggins model, accounting for imperfect detection, to update population abundance estimates at each surveyed stretch in the Black and Pecos rivers. Finally, body condition indices (BCI) of individual turtles will be evaluated to make inferences about how different habitat conditions lead to variation in BCI.

Collaborative Research: Eastern Fire-Net – Frontiers in Understanding Novel Fire Systems in the Eastern U.S.

PI: Robert Scheller
Direct Sponsor Name: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Amount Awarded: $195,959

Abstract: The Eastern Fire Network (EFNet) will coordinate transdisciplinary research and education in Eastern U.S. wildland fire science. Through ongoing collaboration across the network, including annual workshops with stakeholder participation, EFNet will identify, share, organize, and begin analysis of the data streams needed to understand drivers of wildfire in the East and advance local, regional, and national emergency preparedness.