bio photo: Clara Hoffman

Taylor Renee Ganz, Ph.D.

I am an ecologist who studies how humans affect ecosystems, and my goal is to use science to inform conservation and management in the American West. I serve as the Science Lead for The Nature Conservancy in Idaho, where I develop and apply science to advance conservation in Idaho and beyond.

My prior research has focused on understanding wildlife responses to recreation, how changing snowpacks affect wildlife, predator-prey interactions, ungulate movement and population dynamics, and nutrient cycling in alpine lakes. 

I completed my Ph.D. in 2022 at the University of Washington under the mentorship of Dr. Laura Prugh, collaborating with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as part of the Washington Predator Prey Project. I also have a M.S. from the Yale School of the Environment (2017) and undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California (B.S. 2010) and Physics from Lewis and Clark College (B.A. 2009).​

​Before my science career, I was a Senior Field Instructor at NOLS, a wilderness ranger, horse-packer, teacher, and climbing guide. Outside of work, I like to spend long days in the mountains and especially enjoy trail running, skiing, and fly-fishing.