Michael Ferguson

For the greater part of a decade I have designed, managed, and analyzed natural resource research in national parks, national forests, and state and private recreational areas. I apply both quantitative and qualitative social science research methods to address issues such as global climate change, energy development, social carrying capacity, visitor use monitoring, and environmental degradation within a public lands and outdoor recreation context. I provide natural resource managers and practitioners with empirical and defensible data-driven solutions to inform decision-making and policy. Research collaborators include the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Sea Grant, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and other various federal, state, and local agencies.

A primary component of my career involves educating and mentoring undergraduate and graduate level university students. I have experience teaching recreation courses such as recreation resource management, program and event marketing, facility design and management, natural resource management and policy, research methods, and sustainable tourism. My teaching style includes experiential and group-based learning techniques which emphasize the development of problem-solving skills that can be applied directly to real-world situations. Throughout all of my courses I include elements of my own research to provide students with real-world decisions and resulting trade-offs to better prepare them as they emerge as recreation professionals.