Mikiah Carver-McGinn

2023 – 2024 Global Change Research Fellow

Statement of purpose:

Growing up in a military family, I lived in many diverse areas from arid deserts to lush rainforests. My exploration as a child and young adult fostered an unquestionable appreciation for natural areas and the species that inhabit them. This affinity for the outdoors and wildlife led to my decision to pursue a B.S. in Geography and a M.S. in Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation.

Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program working with Dr. Christopher Moorman and Dr. Nathan Hostetter. My research interests broadly focus on the responses of animals to anthropogenically altered environments. Specifically, I am interested in understanding how anthropogenic actions impact ecosystems, with emphasis on the effects on wildlife community composition and species’ spatial distributions. Some of my research goals are to provide policymakers and stakeholders with science-based information pertinent to sustainable development and to promote conservation ethics through effective natural resource management.

Description of research:

My current research investigates the impacts of urbanization on white-tailed deer. Specifically, I am exploring questions related to space use, resource selection, survival, and cause-specific mortality of white-tailed deer across a continuum of urban to rural land cover. These analyses seek to provide science-based information to inform effective management plans for deer populations in North Carolina.

Contact Information:

Email: mcarver@ncsu.edu

Faculty Advisors:

Christopher Moorman (Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources)
Nathan Hostetter (Department of Applied Ecology, NCSU)