David Iles

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Wildland Rsources

Dave Iles is an S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney PhD fellow in the Quinney College of Natural Resources. His passion for studying the natural world began at an early age; growing up in northern Canada, he was quickly fascinated with the outdoors and natural communities.

After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Ecology from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, he completed a Master’s degree in Ecology at USU as a Quinney fellow, spending his field seasons working from a remote camp studying arctic-nesting eider ducks. He stayed at USU for his PhD to continue working on population ecology with Dr. David Koons, where he has continued to develop and diversify his research interests.

His current research spans a broad array of topics, including studying the behavior of wild polar bears, the dynamics of wild bird populations, the timing of flowering in plant communities, and theoretical population biology. In his spare time, Dave is an instructor at a local mixed martial arts gym, brews (barely drinkable) beer, and enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and camping.