Bradly S. Thornton

Title: MSc Student
Email: bt1141@msstate.edu

Howdy, my name is Brad! I'm a master's student in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University. My master's research focuses on spatial conservation planning in the Southeastern U.S.: understanding (mis)alignments in existing conservation planning tools, identifying opportunities for improved congruence, and incorporating empirical species models to inform open pine prioritization tools. I grew up in Savannah, a small town in northwest Missouri. I earned a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies at Truman State University in 2016. Embracing my interest in landscape and spatial ecology, I earned a certificate in GIS for Natural Resources from Utah State University in 2019. Before arriving at Mississippi State University, I spent time working on a national wildlife refuge in Massachusetts and collecting long-term monitoring data with the National Park Service in Missouri. Most recently, I worked with the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture in Nebraska as a GIS/Biotechnician where I gained an appreciation for conservation partnerships and planning. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, camping, and/or birding in addition to spending time indoors playing board games, trivia, and catching live music at local venues. You may also catch me daydreaming about restoring tallgrass prairie and oak savanna for grassland birds and bison in Missouri.