Kate Behrens, Ph.D., Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Advisor: Jessica Jansujwicz – Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology
Co-Advisor: Tora Johnson – GIS Lab & Service Center, University of Maine Machias
Start Date: Fall 2024
B.S. 2011, Psychology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI
M.S.W. 2016, Social Work, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI
kate.behrens@maine.edu

Brief Biography: I grew up in Hudsonville, MI. I worked as a social worker in the fields of substance use recovery and child welfare before moving to Hawaii where I spent three years managing response operations for endangered Hawaiian monk seals and protected seabirds and sea turtles. I enjoy reading, writing, and exploring new places with my dog, Bellaroo.

Current Research: My research focuses on the quality and condition of relationships between people involved in conflicts about wildlife. I’m particularly interested in the interplay of social, historical, political, and economic dynamics of the lobster fishery in the Gulf of Maine and am curious how social work practices could be utilized in natural resource management.