Research
CCFC hosts researchers doing a very wide range of scientific investigation. CCFC not only hosts these researchers but also facilitates their work. Researchers hosted by CCFC include international, national and local, undergraduate students, graduate students from masters, doctorate, and post doctorate. CCFC directors Tara and Rob Cahill assist visiting researchers by helping hone research questions, bibliographic resources, translate and advice in dealing with local languages and cultures.
Some of CCFC’s past researchers have contributed significantly to our understanding of conservation and the dynamics around CCFC’s work.
| Gemara Gifford | Cornell University | Masters Thesis / Agro-ecology |
| Enno Sonntag | University of Copenhagen | Masters Thesis / Agro-ecology & Bioacoustics |
| Lilly Briggs | Cornell University | Doctorate / Environmental Education |
| Ian Pope | Purdue University | Masters / Geography |
| Amy Leap Miller | School for International Training | Research for Publication |
| Sidney Madsen | Cornell University / Fulbright | Agro-ecology / Food security |
| Peter Cahill | Calvin College | Senior Thesis / Ceramics & Geography |
| Savannah Aldrich | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad / Bird Illustration |
| Leah Smith | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad Thesis / Wildlife Biology |
| Amber Huffman | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad / Women |
| Adam Hager | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad / Geography |
| Carl Larsen | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad / Geography |
| David Chambers | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad / Geography |
| Jack Humiston | University of Mary Washington | Undergrad / Geography |
| Isaac Nelson | Emerson University | Undergrad / Videography |
| Riley Swartzendruber | Eastern Mennonite University | Senior Exhibition / Photojournalism |
| Jack Austin | UC Berkeley | Undergrad / Journalism |
| Rowland Griffin | Indigo Expeditions | Herpetology & Conservation |
| Alejandra Zamorra | University of Manchester | Masters / Herpetology |
| Christopher Clark | Yale University | Post-Doctorate / Bio-acoustics |
| Anand Varma | National Geographic | Videography |
| Don Kroodsma | University of Massachusetts | Research / Bio-acoustics |
| Jacob Schiere | AQN Consult | Environmental Architecture & First Nations |
Rowland Griffin, co-founder of Indigo Expeditions conducts research on amphibians and reptiles of the cloud forest at CCFC agroecology center.
Logic
Research guides CCFC’s work. Take for example the research of one of our first researchers, Ian Pope. Ian was an undergrad student when he first visited CCFC’s campus and returned to do his Masters thesis research here with CCFC. Ian mapped cloud forest loss and we still use his maps today. Gem Gifford’s research in agroecology guides our work too. Gem investigated agroecology and bird conservation. And so on. Each researcher has helped CCFC and CCFC has helped each researcher. Today CCFC’s work is better focused and more informed than it would have been without this important research. The time it takes to help researchers is well invested.
Research also translates into environmental education as CCFC’s researchers often reach out to CCFC students with teaching and insights into their research.
