Rachel is a PhD student at the University of Iowa in the Department of Geographic and Sustainability Sciences. She received her BS in Zoology with a minor in Spanish from Colorado State University and her MS in Biology from California State University, Northridge. She studies wildlife in urban and suburban areas. Her Bachelors and Masters work examined carnivore diets across the gradient of urbanization in Los Angeles and San Diego. She hopes to continue similar research in her dissertation, understanding which landscape and habitat features attract wildlife to cities in the Midwest. When not science-ing, she is an avid hiker and artist.

Office hours

• Thursdays: 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Selected publication

• Larson, R. N., D. J. Morin, I. A. Wierzbowska, and K. R. Crooks. 2015. Food habits of coyotes, gray foxes, and bobcats in a coastal southern California urban landscape. Western North American Naturalist 75:339-347.