Kristine O. Evans

Dr. Kristine O. Evans is an Associate Professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University. She holds affiliations with the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Quest Laboratory, and Geosystems Research Institute. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Forest Resources (MSU), MS in Wildlife & Fisheries Science (MSU), and BS in Wildlife Biology (Ohio University).

Her research focuses on conservation biology, wildlife monitoring technologies, and ecological modeling. Key areas include drone-based wildlife surveys, habitat suitability modeling, and biodiversity conservation in agricultural and coastal landscapes. She has pioneered the use of small unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for species detection and developed ensemble models for at-risk species assessments.

Recent work highlights include studies on bull shark habitat shifts due to warming waters, probabilistic mapping of Gulf Coast wetlands, and fusion of thermal/visible imagery for wildlife classification. Over 80 peer-reviewed publications since 2009 demonstrate her contributions to avian ecology, invasive species management, and conservation planning frameworks.

• Awards: Regina Doran Faculty Award, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Honor Award, Foil-Wyatt Outstanding New Faculty Advisor
• Labs/Teams: Quest Laboratory (wildlife tech), Geosystems Research Institute (geospatial analysis)
• Grants: Collaborative projects with USDA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and Gulf Coast conservation initiatives