GPR Science Team
Meet your science team from the Great Plains Region
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is committed to a science-driven approach to conservation. The Great Plains Conservation Science and Planning Team plays a pivotal role in integrating scientific research into DU’s decision-making processes and program evaluations. This collaboration enhances the efficiency and impact of DU’s conservation initiatives, directly supporting its mission to protect and restore vital habitats.
Meet the Team
Dr. Kaylan Kemink
Director of Conservation Science and Planning
Kaylan Kemink is the Director of Conservation Science and Planning for the Great Plains Region. She obtained her master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her doctorate from James Cook University where her research focused on integrating socioeconomic processes into conservation planning for the Prairie Pothole Region. Kaylan’s work at DU focuses on designing and implementing research to develop conservation targeting tools, communicating research results to DU staff and partners, and working with other research partners in the Great Plains Region.
Publications and Products
- Cavanah, S., K. Kemink, and S. N. Ellis-Felege. 2025. Understanding Audience Demographics, Knowledge, and Attitudes for Science-based Social Media Efforts. Sage Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy. Sage Publications Ltd., Communication and Media Studies. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036215798
- Cavanah, S. and K. Kemink. 2025. The Science Communication in Social Media Theory of Change (SciSM ToC) Evaluation Framework: A System of Establishing Goals and Assessing Efficacy for Knowledge Brokers, Intermediaries and Boundary Spanners (BIBS). Frontiers in Communication 10: 1534363. doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2025.1534363.
- Thomas-Walters, L. Gelves-Gomez, F. Brittain, F. van Eeden, L.M., Sky, N.H., Kaushik, A., Kemink, K. Manzano-Fischer, P. Plotsky, K., Selinske, M. 2024. Essential skills for the training of conservation social scientists. Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14456..
- Kemink, K.M., Cavanah, S., Ellis-Felege, S., and Felege, C. 2023. “You Come for the Cause and Stay for the People”: A Grounded Theory case study of mission internalization through a Ducks Unlimited event. Journal of Leadership, Accountability, and Ethics 20(4) https://doi.org/10.33423/jlae.v2023i20.6517
For more see Kaylan's Google Scholars page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qrrxFncAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Dr. Kaylan Kemink
Director of Conservation Science and Planning
Catrina Terry
Research Scientist
Catrina Terry is a Research Scientist for the Great Plains Region. Catrina received her master of science degree from Louisiana State University where she investigated brood abundance in crop-dominated landscapes of the Prairie Pothole Region. Catrina has continued her brood research for DU and successfully communicates science to multiple stakeholders.
Publications and Products (organized by year)
- Bushaw, J. D., Terry, C. V., Ringelman, K. M., Johnson, M. K., Kemink, K. M., & Rohwer, F. C. (2021). Application of unmanned aerial vehicles and thermal imaging cameras to conduct duck brood surveys. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 45(2), 274-281. Etc
For more see Catrina's Google Scholars page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rkcL5aUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Catrina Terry
Research Scientist
Katherine Graham
Research Social Scientist
Katherine Graham is a research social scientist for Ducks Unlimited Inc. in the Great Plains Region. She obtained her master’s degree and is in the last year of her PhD from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, where her research is focused on understanding how Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota residents experience the outdoors, outdoor recreation, and wetland conservation. Katherine’s work at DU is focused on understanding conservation action in its many forms using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research approaches. A major stream of this work is to understand landowner decision-making and capacity as it relates to the conservation of wetlands and grasslands, with the goal of empowering increased and persistent adoption of conservation actions.
Publications and Products (organized by year)
- Graham, K. A., Vrtiska, M. P., Humburg, D. D., Powell, L. A., Raedeke, A. H., Devers, P. K., & Chizinski, C. J. (2024). Exploring the population dynamics of waterfowl hunters using a mark‐recapture approach. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 88(3), e22553.
- Graham, K. A., Price, N. B., Jones, V. K., Fontaine, J. J., & Chizinski, C. J. (2021). Marketing and ecological models to predict permit purchasing behavior of sportspersons. Harvest of Fish and Wildlife: New Paradigms for Sustainable Management. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA, 87-97.
- Gruntorad, M. P., Graham, K. A., Arcilla, N., & Chizinski, C. J. (2021). Is hay for the birds? Investigating landowner willingness to time hay harvests for grassland bird conservation. Animals, 11(4), 1030.
For more see Katherine's Google Scholars page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZGuxeeAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Katherine Graham
Research Social Scientist
Macayla Greider
Wetland Research Scientist
Macayla Greider is the Wetland Research Scientist for the Great Plains Region. She obtained her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point where her research focused on the influence of anthropogenic stressors on restored wetland communities. Macayla’s work at DU focuses on land-use impacts on wetland biotic communities and determining the potential ecosystem service benefits of DU's habitat deliveries. She communicates results to DU staff and partners and works with other research partners in the Great Plains Region.
Publications and Product (organized by year)
- Greider, M.L., J.P. Lim, J.M. Studinski. 2025. The persistent adaptability of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities: assessing responses to anthropogenic stressors in central Wisconsin’s restored wetlands. Hydrobiologia. DOI 10.1007/s10750-025-05931-0
- Greider, ML. 2024. Private land wetland restoration: It’s not rocket science (It's harder than that). Acres in Action Workshop. Katy, Texas.
- Lim, J., M. Greider, JM Studinski. 2024. Effects of landscape characteristics on aquatic biota in restored wetlands. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Studinski, JM., J. Lim, M. Greider. 2024. Factors affecting macroinvertebrate communities in restored agricultural wetlands. Society for Freshwater Science Annual meeting. Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
- Greider, M.L., T. Abshier, K. Hartke, J. Lancaster, B. Wilson. 2024. Bioenergetic capacities of private lands enrolled in the Texas Prairie Wetlands Project. 9th North American Duck Symposium. Portland, Oregon.
For more see Macayla's Google Scholars page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ijAa32UAAAAJ&hl=en
Macayla Greider
Wetland Research Scientist
Greg Brinkman
GIS Analyst
Greg Brinkman is the GIS Analyst for the Great Plains Region. He did field work across the county studying a variety of birds before transitioning to geospatial analysis. In his role in DU, he handles any GIS requests across the region, from creating maps to developing decision support tools. Additionally, he helps maintain the Habitat Deliveries database, which tracks where work is being done.
Publications and Products (organized by year)
DU Wetlands Acquisition Targeting Tool
Greg Brinkman
GIS Analyst
Active Surveys
Current and upcoming surveys, gathering insights into how people value, use, and relate to natural resources, and the social factors that influence conservation efforts and outcomes.
If you’ve received a survey invitation from GPR CSP, you’ll find links and information here about the survey, who’s conducting it, and how to get involved.
