{"id":322,"date":"2026-04-20T00:13:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/?page_id=322"},"modified":"2026-09-05T16:26:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T23:26:34","slug":"our-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/our-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading wsu-spacing-after--small\">Principal Investigator<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row  wsu-color-background--gray-5 wsu-row--sidebar-right\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column wsu-spacing-top--none wsu-color-background--gray-5 wsu-spacing-after--none\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\">Austin Himes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Associate Professor of Forest Ecology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall wsu-spacing-before--xxsmall\">School of the Environment<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall wsu-spacing-before--xxsmall\"><strong>Office: <\/strong>TROY Hall 320<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\"><a href=\"mailto:austin.himes@wsu.edu\">Email<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=TaV66qUAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao\">Google Scholar<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wsu-spacing-after--xxsmall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/austin-himes-50513950\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\">Research Interests<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\">Silviculture for multiple ecosystem services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\">Silviculture and management of poplar for multiple benefits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\">Diverse values of nature\u2019s contributions to people<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wsu-spacing-after--sxxsmall\">Relational values<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sustainable forest landscapes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wsu-spacing-before--none wsu-spacing-after--none\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"429\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/05\/Profile-Picture-AH.jpg\" alt=\"Austin H.\" class=\"wp-image-582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/05\/Profile-Picture-AH.jpg 429w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/05\/Profile-Picture-AH-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/05\/Profile-Picture-AH-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 429px) 100vw, 429px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:27px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Graduate Students<\/h2>\n\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card wsu-color-background--gray-5 wsu-card--style-horizontal-33 wsu-border-top--color-vineyard wsu-spacing-after--xsmall\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame \">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-scaled.jpg\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-scaled.jpg 2046w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-818x1024.jpg 818w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-768x961.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-1228x1536.jpg 1228w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-1637x2048.jpg 1637w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Kelechi-120x150.jpg 120w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 2046px) 100vw, 2046px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Portrait photograph of Kelechi Ibeh\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 56% 35%\"\r\n\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wsu-title  wsu-font-size--large\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKelechi G. Ibeh (PhD Student)\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-caption\">\r\n\t\t\t\tKelechi is a Ph.D. student at Washington State University, where his research focuses on alternative forest management strategies, landscape-scale modeling, ecosystem services, system dynamics, and the impacts of changing climatic and disturbance regimes. He is currently a fellow of the <a href=\"https:\/\/nwcasc.uw.edu\/people\/kelechi-ibeh\/\">Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center<\/a> (NW CASC).<br>He earned a master\u2019s degree in Forest Resources Management (Forest Biology and Silviculture) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Before joining WSU, Kelechi worked as a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Nigeria, where he taught undergraduate courses, supervised student projects, and contributed to scientific outreach and mentorship. He later served as a graduate research assistant at Mississippi State University before transferring to WSU to continue his Ph.D.<br>Outside of research, he enjoys photography, graphic design, mentoring students, and exploring creative approaches to science communication and community engagement.<br><a href=\"mailto:kelechi.ibeh@wsu.edu\">Email<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=Mw1ifisAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao\">Google Scholar<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kelechi-g-ibeh\/\">LinkedIn<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/kelechigibeh.com\">Website<\/a><br>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card  wsu-color-background--gray-5 wsu-card--style-horizontal-33 wsu-border-top--color-vineyard wsu-card--layout-reversed\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame \">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Ruben.png\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Ruben.png 679w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Ruben-214x300.png 214w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/09\/Ruben-107x150.png 107w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Portrait photograph of Ruben Solorza\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 43% 15%\"\r\n\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wsu-title  wsu-font-size--large\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRuben Solorza (MS Student)\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-caption\">\r\n\t\t\t\tRuben Solorza is a master&#8217;s student at Washington State University, focusing on the abundance and productivity of huckleberries in Northeastern, Idaho. His research, in collaboration with the Coeur d\u2019Alene Tribe, will look to investigate future silviculture approaches that will continue the longevity of the culturally significant understory species. Prior to WSU, Ruben was a high school science instructor and cross country &amp; track coach at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. He earned his bachelor&#8217;s degree in environmental science and psychology, as well as his master\u2019s degree in education at Whittier College. When not in the field or in the office, Ruben enjoys hiking, fishing, and watching sports. His favorite hobby is running marathons around the world as he looks to complete the 6 World Major Marathons<br><a href=\"mailto:ruben.solorza@wsu.edu\">Email<\/a><br><br><br>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card  wsu-color-background--gray-5 wsu-card--style-horizontal-33 wsu-border-top--color-vineyard\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame \">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Sam_Kaiser.jpg\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Sam_Kaiser.jpg 1075w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Sam_Kaiser-227x300.jpg 227w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Sam_Kaiser-776x1024.jpg 776w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Sam_Kaiser-768x1013.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Sam_Kaiser-114x150.jpg 114w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1075px) 100vw, 1075px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Photo of Sam Kaiser\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 51% 6%\"\r\n\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wsu-title  wsu-font-size--large\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSam Kaiser (PhD Student)\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-caption\">\r\n\t\t\t\tKaiser&#8217;s research addresses the role of land management organizations in just and sustainable transitions with focuses in conservation policy and practice, diverse nature philosophies, marginalized land histories, and organization evaluation techniques. His methodologies include field surveys, policy and historical analyses, geospatial data science, and the application of justice frameworks. He&#8217;s applied these methods when researching land stewardship frames affecting United States Federal-Tribal co-management partnerships at Isle Royale National Park, developing decision-based social-ecological systems frameworks for outdoor education institutes, and studying how power dynamics shape ecotourism development in coastal Tanzania.<br><a href=\"mailto:samuel.kaiser@wsu.edu\">Email<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=gXYUe1YAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=sra\">Google Scholar<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sam-kaiser-b875281b4\">LinkedIn<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/04\/CV-Spring-2026-Sam-Kaiser-1.pdf\" data-type=\"page\">CV<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:52px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wsu-spacing-after--none\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/sesrg\/\">Social Ecological Systems Research Group (SESRG)<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The Social Ecological Systems Research Group is a multi-lab interdisciplinary team that the Himes lab is part of. SESRG is dedicated to understanding the dynamic interactions between human societies and natural ecosystems. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/sesrg\/\">More Info<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Group Photos<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-carousel\" data-desktop-columns=\"3\">\r\n    <button class=\"wsu-carousel__button-prev\" aria-label=\"Previous slide\"><\/button>\r\n        <div class=\"wsu-carousel__wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\r\n            \n<article class=\"wsu-card\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image--ratio-1-1\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Kelechi-and-Ruben.jpg\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Kelechi-and-Ruben.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Kelechi-and-Ruben-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Kelechi-and-Ruben-1024x592.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Kelechi-and-Ruben-768x444.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3557\/2026\/06\/Kelechi-and-Ruben-150x87.jpg 150w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Photograph of two graduate students in front of a National Park Services sign for Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 66% 47%\"\r\n\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n        <\/div>\r\n    <button class=\"wsu-carousel__button-next\" aria-label=\"Next slide\"><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"wsu-carousel__pagination\"><\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Principal Investigator Graduate Students Social Ecological Systems Research Group (SESRG) The Social Ecological Systems Research Group is a multi-lab interdisciplinary team that the Himes lab is part of. SESRG is dedicated to understanding the dynamic interactions between human societies and natural ecosystems. More Info Group Photos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44165,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_wsuwp_accessibility_report":null},"categories":[],"tags":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/322"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44165"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322"}],"version-history":[{"count":111,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":785,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/322\/revisions\/785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=322"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/silver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}