Current position
Conservation Analyst (2018 - present)
Pepperwood Preserve
Pepperwood Preserve
Previous positions
Post Doctoral Researcher (2017 - 2018)
UC Berkeley and Pepperwood Preserve
Building Habitat Connectivity for Climate Adaptation: Mayacamas to Berryessa Coast Ranges, California, a California Landscape Conservation Partnership Place-Based Adaptation Project
UC Berkeley and Pepperwood Preserve
Building Habitat Connectivity for Climate Adaptation: Mayacamas to Berryessa Coast Ranges, California, a California Landscape Conservation Partnership Place-Based Adaptation Project
Education
PhD, UC Berkeley
Environmental Science, Policy and Management, May 2017
Advisors: Adina Merenlender (Chair), David Ackerly, Matthew Potts
BA, UC Berkeley
Integrative Biology, 2000
Environmental Science, Policy and Management, May 2017
Advisors: Adina Merenlender (Chair), David Ackerly, Matthew Potts
BA, UC Berkeley
Integrative Biology, 2000
Grants, fellowships, and awards
- 2012 - 2016. National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship. Validating species distribution model predictions: the importance of human land use.
- 2015. Guadalupe Coyote Resource Conservation District, in collaboration with the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority.. Coyote Valley linkage assessment study: Evaluating the effect of human land use on bobcat population genetics.
- 2015. Natural Community Conservation Planning Local Assistant Grant awarded by the Department of Fish & Wildlife, in collaboration with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. Coyote Valley linkage assessment study: Evaluating the effect of human land use on ground squirrel population genetics.
Work experience
Consultant, Quantitative Ecologist
- 2017. Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. Habitat permeability and connectivity analyses for Sonoma County. $18,080
- 2017. Sonoma Land Trust. Analysis of the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor for maintaining connectivity: Using camera trap array data to evaluate habitat use by wildlife.
- 2016. The Nature Conservancy. The impact of land use and water availability on native mammal detections at camera traps in the Pajaro Valley, CA.
- 2014. Sonoma Land Trust. Analysis of the Sonoma Developmental Center property for maintaining connectivity for wildlife along the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor. PDF
- 2016. Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley. ESPM 173: Introduction to Ecological Data Analysis, Prof. Perry de Valpine
Computational skills
Languages: R, JAGS/BUGS, NIMBLE, limited exposure to SQL, Python
Software: ArcGIS, MaxEnt, PRESENCE, Google Earth Engine, ZONATION
Software: ArcGIS, MaxEnt, PRESENCE, Google Earth Engine, ZONATION
Publications
Peer reviewed publications
3. Harris, N., Garshong, R., and M. Gray. 2017. Distinct isotopic signatures reveal effect of ecoregion on small mammals of Ghana. Journal of Mammalogy. PDF
2. Gray, M., C. C. Wilmers, S. E. Reed, and A. M. Merenlender. 2016. Landscape feature-based permeability models relate to puma occurrence. Landscape and Urban Planning 147:50-58. PDF
1. Gray, M., J. M. Klip, A. R. Krohn, R. A. Marsh, and L. A. McGinnis. 2014. The Big bad wolf or a symbol of the American wilderness? National Science Foundation, National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science PDF
Gray literature and reports
Gray M., E. Micheli, and A.M. Merenlender. 2018. Methodology for building habitat connectivity for climate adaptation: Mayacamas to Berryessa Connectivity Network (M2B). A technical report by the Dwight Center for Conservation Science at Pepperwood, Santa Rosa CA. 51pp. PDF
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and Conservation Biology Institute. 2017. Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage: A Vision for a Resilient, Multi-benefit Landscape. 61p. PDF
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, and Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District. 2016. Coyote Valley Linkage Assessment Study, Final Report. 79p. PDF
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. 2015. Sonoma Developmental Center Draft Resource Assessment. 124p. PDF
3. Harris, N., Garshong, R., and M. Gray. 2017. Distinct isotopic signatures reveal effect of ecoregion on small mammals of Ghana. Journal of Mammalogy. PDF
2. Gray, M., C. C. Wilmers, S. E. Reed, and A. M. Merenlender. 2016. Landscape feature-based permeability models relate to puma occurrence. Landscape and Urban Planning 147:50-58. PDF
1. Gray, M., J. M. Klip, A. R. Krohn, R. A. Marsh, and L. A. McGinnis. 2014. The Big bad wolf or a symbol of the American wilderness? National Science Foundation, National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science PDF
Gray literature and reports
Gray M., E. Micheli, and A.M. Merenlender. 2018. Methodology for building habitat connectivity for climate adaptation: Mayacamas to Berryessa Connectivity Network (M2B). A technical report by the Dwight Center for Conservation Science at Pepperwood, Santa Rosa CA. 51pp. PDF
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and Conservation Biology Institute. 2017. Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage: A Vision for a Resilient, Multi-benefit Landscape. 61p. PDF
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, and Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District. 2016. Coyote Valley Linkage Assessment Study, Final Report. 79p. PDF
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. 2015. Sonoma Developmental Center Draft Resource Assessment. 124p. PDF
Presentations
Invited presentations
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, San Jose, California. May 19, 2017.
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District, San Jose, California. April 13, 2017.
Using GIS to inform wildlife connectivity amidst human land use. Society for Conservation GIS, Oakland, California. January 13, 2016.
Landscape permeability, gene flow, and pathways for wildlife across Coyote Valley. Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, San Jose, California, November 9, 2015.
The importance of the human-wildlife interface for biodiversity conservation and management. Restoration Ecology Workshop, The Jepson Herbarium at UC Berkeley, California, October 17, 2015.
Finding the fantastic fox: How important is anthropic land-use in predicting the distribution of Urocyon cinereoargenteus? Departmental lightning talk, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, California, September 14, 2015.
Landscape permeability and connectivity at the Sonoma Developmental Center: Implications for wildlife movement and climate change adaptation. The Sonoma Land Trust, Santa Rosa, California, July 15, 2015.
The importance of land use in understanding carnivore distributions. Departmental seminar, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, California, April 9, 2015.
Academic presentations
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. The International Congress for Conservation Biology, Cartagena, Colombia. July 26, 2017.
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. The Bay Area Society for Conservation Biology Symposium, Santa Cruz, CA. May 5, 2017.
Integrating land use planning and conservation biology for more accurate species distribution models. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Madison, Wisconsin. July 18, 2016.
Assessing the importance of land use on species distribution model accuracy for gray foxes. The Bay Area Society for Conservation Biology Symposium, Stanford, CA. May 7, 2016.
Quantifying landscape-scale human impacts on habitat connectivity: implications for wildlife movement and property management. American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California. March 31, 2016.
The importance of the human-wildlife interface for biodiversity conservation and management. The Wildlife Society, Western Section Annual Conference, Pomona, California. February 26, 2016.
How does the built environment act as a boundary to puma movement in the Santa Cruz Mountains? The Bay Area Society for Conservation Biology Symposium, Berkeley, California, May 2, 2015.
What do pumas avoid when moving from the ocean’s edge to the Santa Cruz Mountains? Ecological Society of America 99th Annual Meeting, Sacramento, California, August 10, 2014.
Variation of small mammal richness with land use: A case study from Digya NP, West Africa. Ecological Society of America 98th Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 8, 2013.
Feature-based connectivity models predict puma occurrence in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Society for Conservation Biology, North America Congress for Conservation Biology, Oakland, California, July 16, 2012.
Evaluating connectivity using puma occurrence data in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Wildlife Society, Western Section Annual Conference, Sacramento, California, February 1, 2012.
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, San Jose, California. May 19, 2017.
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District, San Jose, California. April 13, 2017.
Using GIS to inform wildlife connectivity amidst human land use. Society for Conservation GIS, Oakland, California. January 13, 2016.
Landscape permeability, gene flow, and pathways for wildlife across Coyote Valley. Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, San Jose, California, November 9, 2015.
The importance of the human-wildlife interface for biodiversity conservation and management. Restoration Ecology Workshop, The Jepson Herbarium at UC Berkeley, California, October 17, 2015.
Finding the fantastic fox: How important is anthropic land-use in predicting the distribution of Urocyon cinereoargenteus? Departmental lightning talk, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, California, September 14, 2015.
Landscape permeability and connectivity at the Sonoma Developmental Center: Implications for wildlife movement and climate change adaptation. The Sonoma Land Trust, Santa Rosa, California, July 15, 2015.
The importance of land use in understanding carnivore distributions. Departmental seminar, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, California, April 9, 2015.
Academic presentations
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. The International Congress for Conservation Biology, Cartagena, Colombia. July 26, 2017.
Highway to hell: Road networks decrease genetic connectivity in a small mammal. The Bay Area Society for Conservation Biology Symposium, Santa Cruz, CA. May 5, 2017.
Integrating land use planning and conservation biology for more accurate species distribution models. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Madison, Wisconsin. July 18, 2016.
Assessing the importance of land use on species distribution model accuracy for gray foxes. The Bay Area Society for Conservation Biology Symposium, Stanford, CA. May 7, 2016.
Quantifying landscape-scale human impacts on habitat connectivity: implications for wildlife movement and property management. American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California. March 31, 2016.
The importance of the human-wildlife interface for biodiversity conservation and management. The Wildlife Society, Western Section Annual Conference, Pomona, California. February 26, 2016.
How does the built environment act as a boundary to puma movement in the Santa Cruz Mountains? The Bay Area Society for Conservation Biology Symposium, Berkeley, California, May 2, 2015.
What do pumas avoid when moving from the ocean’s edge to the Santa Cruz Mountains? Ecological Society of America 99th Annual Meeting, Sacramento, California, August 10, 2014.
Variation of small mammal richness with land use: A case study from Digya NP, West Africa. Ecological Society of America 98th Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 8, 2013.
Feature-based connectivity models predict puma occurrence in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Society for Conservation Biology, North America Congress for Conservation Biology, Oakland, California, July 16, 2012.
Evaluating connectivity using puma occurrence data in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Wildlife Society, Western Section Annual Conference, Sacramento, California, February 1, 2012.
Academic service
Event Grants Coordinator, Chapters Committee, Society for Conservation Biology. 2016-present
Organize the annual Chapter Event Grants program to support Society for Conservation Biology chapters in their activities. Facilitate timely review of grant applications, announce funding decisions, ensure grant recipients complete all grant requirements, and disburse event reimbursements.
President, Graduate Student Association, UC Berkeley, Department of ESPM, Berkeley CA. 2014-2016
Official representative of ESPM graduate students at the department and college levels. Held monthly meeting to communicate graduate student concerns, ESPM and UC updates, and foster an inclusive ESPM community.
Mentor, Young Women in Science, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey CA. 2014
Shared my experiences as a woman in science with young women in middle school. Trained groups of 3-4 students in sea otter tracking; engaged students in a dialogue about the importance of sea otter conservation.
Ecosystem Science Division Representative, Graduate Student Association, UC Berkeley, Department of ESPM, Berkeley CA. 2013-2014
Attended departmental faculty meetings, reported minutes to the division. Communicated with graduate students in ESPM to foster engagement and inclusivity, inform about current events.
Mentor, Undergraduate-Graduate Mentorship Program, UC Berkeley, Berkeley CA. 2013
Met with an undergraduate 4 times throughout the semester for advice about research and employment in environmental science.
Panelist, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach event, Hayward Impact Academy High School, Hayward CA. 2012
Answered questions from high school Algebra II students such as "Why do we study math?" and "Why is it important that we prepare students for STEM careers?"
Organize the annual Chapter Event Grants program to support Society for Conservation Biology chapters in their activities. Facilitate timely review of grant applications, announce funding decisions, ensure grant recipients complete all grant requirements, and disburse event reimbursements.
President, Graduate Student Association, UC Berkeley, Department of ESPM, Berkeley CA. 2014-2016
Official representative of ESPM graduate students at the department and college levels. Held monthly meeting to communicate graduate student concerns, ESPM and UC updates, and foster an inclusive ESPM community.
Mentor, Young Women in Science, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey CA. 2014
Shared my experiences as a woman in science with young women in middle school. Trained groups of 3-4 students in sea otter tracking; engaged students in a dialogue about the importance of sea otter conservation.
Ecosystem Science Division Representative, Graduate Student Association, UC Berkeley, Department of ESPM, Berkeley CA. 2013-2014
Attended departmental faculty meetings, reported minutes to the division. Communicated with graduate students in ESPM to foster engagement and inclusivity, inform about current events.
Mentor, Undergraduate-Graduate Mentorship Program, UC Berkeley, Berkeley CA. 2013
Met with an undergraduate 4 times throughout the semester for advice about research and employment in environmental science.
Panelist, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach event, Hayward Impact Academy High School, Hayward CA. 2012
Answered questions from high school Algebra II students such as "Why do we study math?" and "Why is it important that we prepare students for STEM careers?"
Reviewer
Journal of Natural History, Landscape and Urban Planning, PLoS ONE
Member
Association of American Geographers, Ecological Society of America, The Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society