Ariana L. Cerreta, Ph.D.

Ariana is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and a member of the Spatial and Population Ecology of Carnivores (SPEC) Lab at Texas A&M-Kingsville.  She earned a Bachelor of Science at the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Science at the University of Delaware. Ariana investigated habitat suitability and landscape connectivity for bobcats in New Jersey during her M.S. As a doctoral researcher at the University of Idaho, she developed a novel genomic panel to survey candidate adaptive loci in gray wolves and investigate the genomic basis for processes such as dispersal and group cooperation. Her research integrates cutting-edge genomic tools and spatial analyses to inform effective wildlife population management. Ariana's research has largely focused on (1) employing state-of-the-art genomic tools to connect genes with eco-evolutionary processes, (2) using cost-effective, non-invasive methods for wildlife population monitoring, and (3) integrating spatial and genetic tools to prioritize management decisions.