Lara Roman
is a Research Ecologist with the USDA Forest Service, Philadelphia Field Station. Her current research uses analytical tools from demography and epidemiology to understand urban tree mortality rates and processes. Lara serves as Secretary of the Urban Tree Growth & Longevity Working Group, and is leading the effort to develop protocols for urban tree monitoring in collaboration with researchers and community foresters across the US. She received a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley, where she studied urban tree mortality in Sacramento and Oakland, CA. Lara also holds a Bachelors in Biology and Masters of Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She was recognized at UC Berkeley with the Chancellor’s Award for Public Service and Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award.
Bryant Scharenbroch
is an Urban Soil Scientist at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. He is the
primary investigator of The Morton Arboretum Soil Science (MASS) laboratory (www.masslaboratory.org).
The MASS laboratory performs research, extension, and education activities
relating to urban ecology, nutrient cycling, soil quality, tree health, and
soil classification. MASS research focuses on anthropogenic effects on soils
and ecosystem functioning in forests, prairies, and urban landscapes. Bryant
received a Ph.D. in Soil Science from the U. Wisconsin-Madison (2007), a M.S.
in Plant Science from U. Idaho (2003), and B.S. degrees from U. Wisconsin –
Stevens Point in Urban Forestry (2001) and Forest Management (2001). Bryant is
an ISA Certified Arborist, Associate Editor for Arboriculture and Urban
Forestry, Vice-Chair of the ISA Urban Tree Growth & Longevity Working
Group, and the Chair of the Midwest Urban Tree Care Forum. In 2013, Bryant received
the ISA’s Early Career Scientist Award.
John Mills
is a Research Forester in the Resource
Monitoring and Assessment Program of the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest
Research Station in Portland, OR. He
recently led his program’s effort to install roughly 1,000 urban inventory
ground plots in 5 Pacific States. Data
collected from the plots has been compiled, made available to the public, and
archived for monitoring purposes. His
background is modeling the growth and yield of trees at large scales as part of
national assessments of U.S. forest resources. He holds B.S and M.S degrees in
forestry and resource economics from Oregon State University
Sarah Mincey