Forestry welcomes Jessica Miesel

The Department of Forestry is pleased to welcome new faculty member, Jessica Miesel. Dr. Miesel joins the forestry faculty as an assistant professor in applied forest ecology and management.

Jessica Miesel

The Department of Forestry is pleased to welcome new faculty member, Jessica Miesel. Dr. Miesel joins the forestry faculty as an assistant professor in applied forest ecology and management.

Originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., Miesel earned her doctorate from The Ohio State University in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology, and completed her undergraduate education at Otterbein College in life and earth sciences.

Miesel’s research focuses on fire ecology and management in temperate ecosystems.

“My specific interests include fire effects on coniferous forest soils, fire and fire surrogate forest management strategies, and the role of natural and anthropogenic black carbon in soil ecosystem processes,” says Miesel.

Her teaching responsibilities will include a Fire Ecology and Management course and one graduate-level course related to her research expertise.

Prior to joining MSU Forestry’s faculty, Miesel held a post-doctoral position with the Lake States Fire Science Consortium, which facilitates communication and collaboration among fire researchers and managers in the Lake States region. She also conducted post-doctoral research in grassland ecology and bioenergy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she investigated the effects of prescribed fire and chemical weed management treatments on switchgrass monocultures and a diverse prairie mixture.

When asked what she most looks forward to in her first year as a faculty member in MSU forestry, Miesel says, “I am most looking forward to the new levels of independence as a researcher that are available to me as a faculty member, and the adventures of many new opportunities and challenges it will bring. I am excited to develop a new research program to increase our understanding of the fascinating roles fire plays in ecosystems across the globe – this includes investigating the ecological effects of wildfires, and helping to inform the appropriate use of prescribed fires as land management tools. I also enjoy mentoring students, and I am looking forward to building an effective, interactive research group that includes undergraduate and graduate student researchers.”

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