Dawn M. Drake

Dr. Dawn M. Drake serves as an Associate Professor at Missouri Western State University, where she has been a faculty member since 2012. Her interdisciplinary work bridges geography and biological sciences through field-intensive research and innovative teaching methodologies.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Geography, University of Tennessee
• M.S. in Geography, University of Delaware
• B.S.Ed., Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Drake's research focuses on rural and agricultural geography, economic geography, and sustainable energy systems, with significant contributions to spatial analysis applications in ecological conservation. She leads field projects including burrowing crayfish distribution studies at Loess Bluffs NWR, sustainable energy course redesign, and Otoe tribe pond story mapping. Her work consistently integrates GIS technology with ecological fieldwork in challenging environments.

She actively mentors undergraduate researchers through campus-based projects including prairie biological surveys and freshwater biodiversity studies, frequently collaborating with biology department faculty on interdisciplinary initiatives.