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Research

Research:

Dr. Riley’s interests are in discovery and integration of human and environmental dimensions of wildlife management.  His primary research thrust is in human-wildlife interactions, decision research, and application of management science to natural resource policy.  Shawn’s research has included a variety of topics such as factors affecting wildlife stakeholder acceptance capacity for rattlesnakes and white-tailed deer in southern Michigan, wolf management in the U-P, factors affecting deer-vehicle collisions, social impacts of dam removal, development of adaptive impact management, and how to better use human dimensions insights in Great Lakes fishery management. 

His current research includes investigations into factors affecting compliance with wildlife regulations (focus on baiting and feeding), social insights into management of double-crested cormorants, and the human dimensions of wildilfe health management.

Current Research Topics

Reducing partial controllability: an assessment of white-tailed deer and bovine tuberculosis management interventions (with Brent Rudolph, MDNR State-wide deer research specialist and doctoral student at MSU). This study is examining the role of perceived procedural justice in levels of compliance to rules and regulations aimed at reducing the concentration of deer from baiting and feeding. Drs. Michael Schecter (James Madison College) and Carol Gibbs (School of Criminal Justice) are collaborators.

Social insights into management of double-crested cormorants (with MS student Bret Muter). This project, partially sponosored by The Great Lakes Fishery Commission, is evaluating the role of social networks in how people form attitudes and behaviors towards cormorants and management of cormorants. Dr. Meredith Gore is a co-PI and collaborator.

Human dimensions of wildlife health management: insights to support the National Wildlife Health Initiative (With doctoral student Shauna Hanisch, and outreach specialist Jordan Burroughs) This national study is designed to improve capacity of state resource agencies in implementation of a National Fish and Wildlife Health Initiative though improved knowledge of factors affecting stakeholder values, beliefs and attitudes about wildlife health and management actions to achieve healthy wildlife populations. The project is supported by The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Large-scale ecology of white-tailed deer in agro-forested ecosystems. (with Drs. Rique Campa and Scott Winterstein, Tim Hiller [doctoral candidate])
       Click here to visit the south-central Michigan deer research web site

White-tailed deer population demographics and management: impacts on forest composition and structure at Fort Custer Training Center, Michigan.  (With Drs. Rique Campa and Scott Winterstein, Joel Humphries [MS student]).

Completed Research Topics

Describing the wildlife disease management system through group model-building. (with Drs. Daniel Decker [Cornell University], Mike Miller [ Colorado Division of Wildlife] and Margaret Wild [US National Park Service's Biological Resource Management Division] ). See publications page for papers.

Enhancing conservation of reptiles: wildlife stakeholder acceptance capacity for non-venomous snakes and rattlesnakes (with Rebecca Christoffel).

Agency capacity to manage the risk of chronic wasting disease. (with Jordan Burroughs) Findings abstract published in Human Dimensions of Wildlife available on Publications web page.

Development and evaluation of adaptive impact management for white-tailed deer.
          Click here to visit the south-central Michigan deer research web site

An assessment of wild turkey management in Michigan (with Dr. Harold Prince).

Human dimensions of deer-vehicle accidents in SE Michigan (with Alix Marcoux).

Environmental factors affecting frequency and rates of deer-vehicle collisions in southern Michigan (with Krishnan Sudharsan).

Theory, models, and methods for integration of human dimensions information into decision-making for Great Lakes fishery management.

Shawn helped develop and now coordinates a Great Lakes Fishery Commission research theme on human dimensions of Great Lakes fishery management.

http://www.glfc.org/research/humandimensions.pdf

Impact assessment of dam removal/fish passage to achieve the targeted, sustainable fish populations goals for the Saginaw Bay watershed. (with Mark Coscarelli, Public Sector Consulting)

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