Kezia Manlove

Kezia Manlove serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University, where she applies quantitative disease ecology to address wildlife health challenges in the Intermountain West through innovative analysis of conventional datasets.

Her academic foundation includes:

• PhD in Biology from Penn State University (2016)
• MS in Statistics from Montana State University (2010)
• BA in Biological Modeling for a Sustainable Earth from Saint Olaf College (2006)

Manlove's research program integrates network theory, spatial analysis, and statistical modeling to investigate pathogen spillover mechanisms between domestic and wild Caprinae. She examines Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae transmission dynamics, develops percolation models for cross-species transmission, and evaluates ecological interventions for disease prevention. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications for wildlife conservation and livestock health management in western ecosystems.

Analysis of her 2019-2020 publications reveals consistent focus on pathogen genetics, host movement patterns, and reservoir dynamics, with significant contributions to understanding epidemic growth rates and designing effective management strategies at the wildlife-livestock interface.

She actively mentors graduate researchers through the Wildland Resources program, guiding 14 students in disease ecology investigations spanning lamb performance impacts, sheep operation risk factors, and pathogen spillover modeling. Manlove directs the USU Disease Ecology Laboratory, which provides specialized training in quantitative ecological methods while advancing research on wildlife disease systems.