Cade Coldren has been named an assistant professor of ecological modeling with Texas Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science, according to officials within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. He officially stepped into his new teaching and research post on Jan. 1.

Coldren indicated that he is interested in the development of the next generation of the EDYS (Ecological Dynamics Simulation) model. EDYS has been very successful in simulating plant, water, and animal dynamics in a variety of ecosystems in the western United States and several locations overseas.

It has been used to evaluate the potential impacts of management activities on various ecological components and help guide land managers in their decision-making processes. However, computer technology has advanced significantly since the original design of EDYS, and his goal is to incorporate those advances into the architecture of the model to allow for simulating greater complexity and ecological heterogeneity.

One of his primary goals here at Tech is to work with researchers across CASNR and the university to improve and advance the algorithms used to simulate ecological processes in EDYS. Ongoing research, currently being conducted at Tech, in soil and root dynamics, plant growth and responses to a variety of stressors, both natural and man-made, and the resulting impacts on animal populations will allow him to significantly improve the model's mechanistic algorithms. The result should be a general ecosystem model with great utility in evaluating man's impact on ecosystems around the world.

Prior to taking his present position, Coldren served as research scientist with Tech's plant and soil science department. Previously he worked as a research ecologist with the Environmental Laboratory of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Collins, Colorado.

In addition, he was a manager and ecological modeler with Raven Enterprises in Fort Collins; ecological modeler with MWH Global, Inc. in Fort Collins; ecological modeler with Shepherd Miller, Inc. in Fort Collins; and a field technician with the Arkansas Breeding Bird Atlas at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Coldren received his bachelor's in electrical engineering and master's degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences, as well as his doctorate in wildlife and fisheries sciences from Texas A&M University. He is a member of the American Ornithological Society, Association of Field Ornithologists, Sigma Xi, and the Wilson Ornithological Society.

CONTACT: Eric Hequet, Department Chair, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2838 or eric.hequet@ttu.edu

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