Ashley Whipple is a biologist at the Fort Collins Science Center, whose research interests include wildlife-habitat relationships, conservation ecology, and threatened and endangered species management.
Ashley (she/her) started at FORT in 2021, joining a team of scientists interested in sagebrush ecosystem dynamics and its influence on sage-grouse populations. Ashley has experience working with a variety wildlife and government agencies focused on conservation of threatened and endangered species. Her experience includes species monitoring, disease surveillance, animal husbandry, and invasive species prevention. She uses skills in field ecology, data management, remote sensing, and coding to explore complex ecological questions.
Most recently, her master’s research explored animal-habitat relationships of an alpine lagomorph called the American pika. She was particularly interested in understanding whether stress-associated hormone levels could be employed to assess habitat quality.
Professional Experience
Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 2021 – Present
Data Management Fellow, Environmental Data Initiative, 2020
Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant, University of Colorado – Boulder, 2017-2019
Biological Technician, U.S. Geological Survey, 2016
Wildlife Disease Technician, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2012 & 2014
Aquatic Nuisance Species Monitoring Intern, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2013
Education and Certifications
M.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado - Boulder, 2019
B.S. Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 2011