Dr. Zhao Ma
Professor
I am a Professor of Natural Resource Social Science. As a natural resource social scientist, the overarching goal of my research is to contribute to knowledge that improves individual and organizational capacity to make natural resource decisions to adapt to social-ecological change at various scales. Specifically, my research lies at the intersection of political ecology and social psychology, and examines natural resource decision making processes of two types of actors, individuals and organizations. I ask questions about (1) how individuals and organizations perceive social-ecological changes and the associated natural resource challenges at various scales, (2) how individuals and organizations respond to social-ecological changes and address the associated natural resource challenges, (3) how various ecological, climatic, social, economic, political, and cultural factors influence decision making by individuals and within organizations, and (4) what intended and unintended impacts may result from individual and organizational natural resource decisions. Broadly speaking, my research provides insights into what information, assistance, and incentives may be helpful for promoting sustainable natural resource decisions by individuals, and how individual attitudes and behaviors across the landscape and over time cumulatively affect the effectiveness of various natural resource policies and programs.
I have been at Purdue since 2013, and was previously on faculty at Utah State University. I was a post-doctoral fellow in the Family Forest Research Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I obtained my Ph.D. in Natural Resource Science and Management from the University of Minnesota, M.A. in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University, and BS in Material Physics from the University of Science and Technology Beijing. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunities to work with so many great scholars, students and practitioners, who have greatly shaped my thinking about the social-ecological world we all live in and my pursuit of natural resource social science research.
Erica Kronenberger
Research Associate & Lab Coordinator
Erica is a Research Associate and Coordinator for the Human Dimensions Lab. Her work in the lab has explored the social components of invasive species management in California, forest management in Indiana, and forest restoration in the Eastern U.S. In addition, Erica leads Extension efforts for the PERSEUS project, working with landowners and forestry professionals to raise awareness of and co-design digital forestry technologies. She also oversees the lab’s day-to-day operations.
Education:
M.S. in Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma (2024)
B.A. in Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma (2021)
Camila Ulloa
Research Associate
Camila is a Human Dimensions Research Associate whose research focuses on understanding how individuals, communities, and organizations make decisions related to sustainability, conservation, and natural resource management. Drawing on her background in agricultural economics, she uses quantitative social science methods to study the social and behavioral factors that influence environmental decision-making. She is particularly interested in conservation, ecosystem restoration, climate adaptation, and community resilience, and enjoys interdisciplinary research that connects social and ecological perspectives to address complex environmental challenges.
Education:
- M.S. in Agricultural Economics, Purdue University (2025)
- B.S. in Accounting, National University of Colombia (2022)
- B.S. in Business Management, National University of Colombia (2021)
Dr. Beatriz Roldán Martinez
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Beatriz Roldán Martinez is a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University working with ARA follow‑up survey data from Vallegrande, Bolivia. Her research focuses on the human dimensions of development initiatives, with particular attention to innovation, community‑based and rural development, and sustainable/regenerative tourism. Her work employs mixed‑methods approaches to examine how development initiatives are experienced, adapted, and shaped over time, with a strong emphasis on co‑creation processes with local residents and collaboration with community leaders, civil society organizations, and local institutions. Through applied and interdisciplinary research, she seeks to bridge theory and practice in ways that support community agency, locally defined development pathways, and conditions that allow cultural heritage to remain dynamic and thrive as part of everyday social and economic life. In addition to her research, she collaborates with the Purdue Postdoctoral Association on initiatives to increase Individual Development Plan (IDP) awareness and support postdoctoral professional development and well‑being.
Education:
- Ph.D. in International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University, Japan
- M.S. in Tourism Creation, Hokkaido University, Japan
- B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Universidad Rafael Landívar, Guatemala
Dr. Kaylin Clements
Postdoctoral Researcher
Kaylin is a postdoctoral researcher focusing on deer management in the Midwest. Her main research interests center around human dimensions of natural resources, which applies social science theory and methods to understand complex social–ecological issues and inform conservation activities. Kaylin has conducted research on pro-environmental behaviors related to invasive lionfish removal in Florida and Belize, served as the stakeholder engagement coordinator and co-chair for the United States' National Early Detection and Rapid Response Framework, and recently implemented a One Health social network study as a Fulbright Scholar in India. She is passionate about coproduction of actionable science and ensuring that conservation research empowers communities, is useful on the ground, and is created through transdisciplinary collaboration. She is particularly interested in how social psychology, social networks, cultural norms and models, and other social factors support or inhibit adoption of pro-environmental behaviors and collaboration. She is also passionate about teaching and building capacity in the social sciences to enhance the impacts of conservation work.
Katy Dix
Graduate Student
Katy Dix is a Purdue Doctoral Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Social Science. She is Guatemalan-American and works with rural communities in Latin America on social-environmental initiatives geared at fostering well-being and protecting the people and places they call home.
Project Description: Katy studies collaborative wildfire management in the Indigenous Territory of Monteverde in Bolivia. She partners with community members and leaders, NGOs, local government officials to assess best practices for building bridges between different knowledge systems and promoting effective collaboration between Indigenous and external entities on integrated wildfire and watershed management. Her work draws inspiration from the fields of environmental justice, anticolonial studies, political ecology, and critical and post- development studies.
Education:
M.A. in Sustainable International Development, Brandeis University (2021)
B.A. in Political Science and Environmental Studies, Williams College (2018)
Chamali Rodrigo
Graduate Student
Chamali is a doctoral student pursuing a PhD in Natural Resource Social Science. Chamali’s dissertation research focuses on understanding how family forest landowners can be engaged to adopt digital forestry tools. Her research is part of the PERSEUS project: Promoting Economic Resilience and Sustainability of the Eastern U.S. Forests, and her research outcomes will be used to engage stakeholders to develop management practices that can improve the sustainability of forest ecosystems in the eastern U.S.
Education:
- M.S. in Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University (2024)
- B.S. in Environmental Management and Forestry at University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka (2021)
Katherine O. Pivaral Toledo
Graduate Student
Katherine is a Ross Fellow PhD student in the FNR/ESE Graduate Program at Purdue University. Originally from Guatemala, she brings extensive research and professional experience from Latin America, the United States, and Italy, contributing to initiatives in climate-smart agriculture, youth empowerment, regenerative tourism, and markets for diversified agriculture. She collaborates with local communities, NGOs, and diverse stakeholders to co-create participatory strategies that promote environmental restoration, cultural heritage preservation, and economic resilience. Her international perspective and collaborative approach make her a dynamic leader in environmental sustainability and community-based resource management.
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MSc in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture with a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Policy, Purdue University (2024)
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B.S. in Environmental and Development Engineering, Pan-American Agricultural School Zamorano, Honduras (2019)
Melissa Widhalm
Graduate Student
Melissa is a part-time doctoral student pursuing a PhD in Natural Resource Social Science. Her research is focused on understanding what drives people to join and remain engaged in volunteer weather data collection. Additionally, Melissa works full-time as the Associate Director and Regional Climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), located at Purdue University. For over 20 years, she has worked to improve the usability of climate information for agricultural and other applications. She is passionate about delivering high-quality climate resources, science communication, and climate data services.
Education:
- M.S. in Natural Resource Sciences with specialization in Climate Assessment and Impacts, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2006)
- B.S. in Meteorology, Northern Illinois University (2004)
