Department of Geography Ph.D. Candidate Kirk Stueve has been awarded a Discover Denali Research Fellowship for proposed research in Alaska’s 6 million acre Denali National Park. The Fellowship is funded by the National Park Service in conjunction with the Murie Science Learning Center and Denali Education Center.

Stueve’s research proposal, titled “Spatial patterns of tree establishment at the alpine treeline ecotone” was modeled after his Ph.D. work in Mount Rainier National Park. The research will compare a time series of historical aerial photographs, declassified reconnaissance satellite imagery, and contemporary satellite imagery to detect areas of new upslope tree establishment. It will also attempt to explain how topography and biotic factors interact to modulate and control tree establishment patterns. His graduate advisor is Dr. Andrew Millington, Professor of Geography and Interim Director of Environmental Programs in the College of Geosciences.

As a Fellowship winner, Stueve will be required to submit field photos and a final report when his research is complete and he will speak at the Denali Education Center.

The Discover Denali Research Fellowship Program was created to support research that can be useful to park managers as they make important decisions about the natural and cultural resources of Denali National Park. The park is home to more than 39 species of mammals, 165 species of birds, and 15 species of fish.

For more information, visit the Discover Denali Research Fellowship Program website at http://www.nps.gov/dena/naturescience/discodena.htm