Elizabeth Simpson

Elizabeth joined the PDRF program in 2017 under the mentorship of Dr. Will Pearse after completing a BSc in Plant Science and Natural Resources from Cornell University. While heavily involved in service at USU, they were especially impactful in their work as the lead facilitator for the Native American in STEM Mentorship Program, where they developed their passion for research communication and advocacy.

Post graduation, Elizabeth is using their experience as an ecologist to be an active member of their ecosystem. Professionally, they work as a research associate at the Avian Science Center at the University of Montana studying the role of livestock grazing in sage-grouse and  songbird ecology. They are training to be a death doula and yoga teacher with the goal of facilitating embodied healing spaces for personal and collective grief, with a special focus on human-caused loss. In tandem, they work in community gardens and small farms, mend and upcycle clothing and teach others how to do this, and advocate for more inclusive and just systems.