Vanessa Muhlenbruch

Vanessa began her graduate work in the Fall of 2019 at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). She received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from UAA in 2016. Throughout her undergraduate career she interned with the United States Geological Survey on tasks related to polar bear research and, prior to beginning her masters, she spent time working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in their Division of Wildlife Conservation. Her MS thesis involved a genetic analysis of black bears in the Anchorage area. Her goal was to use forensic sampling in order to understand the number of individuals responsible for nuisance interactions and how related these individuals were. Her research was funded by the AK Army Corps of Engineers. Vanessa plans to remain in Alaska for the foreseeable future and hopes to play a role in the conservation of wildlife within the state.