SNRE celebrates 2015 commencement

Dean Stephen Sparrow gives Ph.D. recipient Watcharee Ruairuen a hug at the UAF graduation Sunday. UAF photo by Todd Paris

At Sunday’s UAF Commencement, students of the School of Natural Resources and Extension received eight bachelor’s degrees, six master’s degrees and one doctorate.

SNRE graduates gather at Sunday's graduation.

Watcharee Ruairuen received a Ph.D. in natural resources and sustainability. Her dissertation is titled “Evapotranspiration in a Subarctic Agroecosystem: Field Measurements, Modeling and Sustainability Perspectives.” She found that evapotranspiration comprised a large portion of the energy balance in a high latitude agroecosystem. Understanding surface energy dynamics is important to understanding the vulnerabilities of Alaska agriculture to climate change.

Watcharee earned a bachelor’s degree in 2002 and a M.S. degree in 2006 from Walailak University in Thailand. Her primary professors included Research Professor Elena Sparrow of SNRE and Associate Professor Gilberto Fochesatto of the Geophysical Institute.

Other degree recipients included:

Baccalaureate degrees

Melissa Dick, B.S., Natural Resources Management: High Latitude Agriculture

Nicole Dunham, B.S. Natural Resources Management: High Latitude Agriculture

Justin Fletcher, B.S., Natural Resources Management: High Latitude Agriculture

Paul Lambert, B.S., Natural Resources Management: Humans and the Environment

Daniel McEntee, B.S.,  Natural Resources Management: Forestry

Elle May Robbe, B.S., Natural Resources Management

Katie Shink, B.S., Natural Resources Management: High Latitude Agriculture

Nicole Warner, B.S., Natural Resources Management: Humans and the Environment

Master’s degrees

Brian Atkinson, M.S., Natural Resources Management

Emily Dickson, M.S., Natural Resources Management

Michael Gibson, M.S., Natural Resources Management

Celia Jackson, M.S., Natural Resources Management and Geography

Haley McIntyre, M.S., Natural Resources Management and Geography

Randy Peterson, M.S., Natural Resource Biometrics, Management and GIS: Interdisciplinary Program