Austin’s a Ph.D. candidate in the Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology Lab at the University of Utah. He studies how human influence affects mammalian distribution and behavior, especially along wildland-urban interfaces, where humans and wildlife interact most frequently. Much of his work is focused within areas that have direct application to on-the-ground conservation initiatives that can lead to increased human-wildlife coexistence. Austin fully endorse the ideal of “work hard, play hard,” and he enjoys playing and watching sports, hiking, camping, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Rachelle, and their friends and family as much as possible.