Allie Caughman

Bio

I am a PhD student in the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara advised by Steve Gaines and Darcy Bradley. I recieved by BS in Biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2020 and my MA in Statistics from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2024.

During my time in the Gaines and Bradley labs, I am interested in the intersection of marine animal movement ecology, conservation, and data science. Particularly for my dissertation, I am researching in how different movement traits or movement trait combinations effect the conservation in species both now and in the future with climate change. Using my existing programming skills to develop simulations and models, I aim to answer a broach range of theoretical questions about species movement and habitat choice, including how different pressures may affect the evolution of movement traits and how larval dispersal and adult movement combinations may affect conservation planning and success. Additionally, I hope to leverage empirical data to test and improve the theoretical models and translate that into effective marine conservation solutions. I am currently supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows Program.

Outside of my research, I put my quantitative skills to use by consulting on a variety of environmental science problems. While my expertise remains in fisheries, ecology, and conservation, I am well versed in a range of methods that can be applied to any environmental issue. From machine learning and statistics, to data management (including spatial data!), I am always looking for opportunities to work with organizations.

I spend most of my free time rock climbing at the Santa Barbara Rock Gym in downtown Santa Barbara. I also enjoy hiking, kayaking, SCUBA Diving and other outdoor activities!

Education

B.S. Biology | Georgia Institute of Technology | 2016 - 2020

M.A. Statistics (Data Science) | University of California, Santa Barbara | 2021 - 2024

Ph.D. Environmental Science and Management | University of California, Santa Barbara | 2021 - 2026 (expected)

Contact

Primary Email: acaughman@bren.ucsb.edu

Consulting Contact: acaughman.consult@gmail.com

Allie Caughman

Bio

I am a PhD student in the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara advised by Steve Gaines and Darcy Bradley. I recieved by BS in Biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2020 and my MA in Statistics from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2024.

During my time in the Gaines and Bradley labs, I am interested in the intersection of marine animal movement ecology, conservation, and data science. Particularly for my dissertation, I am researching in how different movement traits or movement trait combinations effect the conservation in species both now and in the future with climate change. Using my existing programming skills to develop simulations and models, I aim to answer a broach range of theoretical questions about species movement and habitat choice, including how different pressures may affect the evolution of movement traits and how larval dispersal and adult movement combinations may affect conservation planning and success. Additionally, I hope to leverage empirical data to test and improve the theoretical models and translate that into effective marine conservation solutions. I am currently supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows Program.

Outside of my research, I put my quantitative skills to use by consulting on a variety of environmental science problems. While my expertise remains in fisheries, ecology, and conservation, I am well versed in a range of methods that can be applied to any environmental issue. From machine learning and statistics, to data management (including spatial data!), I am always looking for opportunities to work with organizations.

I spend most of my free time rock climbing at the Santa Barbara Rock Gym in downtown Santa Barbara. I also enjoy hiking, kayaking, SCUBA Diving and other outdoor activities!

Education

B.S. Biology | Georgia Institute of Technology | 2016 - 2020

M.A. Statistics (Data Science) | University of California, Santa Barbara | 2021 - 2024

Ph.D. Environmental Science and Management | University of California, Santa Barbara | 2021 - 2026 (expected)

Contact

Primary Email: acaughman@bren.ucsb.edu

Consulting Contact: acaughman.consult@gmail.com