Mike graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2008 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies. Prior to arriving at Humboldt, Mike spent several years working as a field botanist with researchers at Oregon State University and the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. Mike has been involved in a wide range of research projects, from long-term plant community responses to variable forest thinning in the Oregon coast range to the influence of Sudden Oak Death on fire risk in northern California forests. His thesis research investigates the influence of fuel reduction treatments on tree growth responses to drought in northern California.