What's U.P.?

Highlighting news from B&C’s University Programs (U.P.) and its Fellows

The Boone and Crockett Club's University Programs is designed to provide science-based knowledge from seasoned wildlife professionals and educators to college graduates in the wildlife field to better prepare the graduates for the responsible and wise management of wildlife in the future.

Meet the Fellows

Alejandra Hiers

Alejandra (Ale) Hiers is a PhD candidate and Boone and Crockett Fellow in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University, investigating gray wolf population ecology in the Great Lakes region. She has published work evaluating the impacts of wolf harvest and lethal management in Wisconsin on pack persistence and reproduction, and is currently characterizing gray wolf mortality patterns using a long-term telemetry database in collaboration with state, Tribal, and federal partners. During her PhD work, Ale also conducted research on human-caused wolf mortality, predator-prey dynamics, and lion (Panthera leo) space-use and authored several publications and book chapters that will be published in the coming year. She is excited to complete her degree this year and see how her research findings contribute to science-based wolf management. Ale is also looking forward to continuing her work with Chu Cho Environmental, an Indigenous-owned consulting company in northern British Columbia, where she has been working as a wildlife biologist since March 2025. 

Read More About Ale's Research

Chloe Nouzille

Chloe is a PhD student and Boone and Crockett Fellow at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She is studying mountain lion movement and foraging ecology in South Texas. She has most recently presented work at state, national, and international conferences on mountain lion movement around the border barrier system between Texas and Mexico. This work will provide guidance for Customs and Border Protection in their efforts to secure the southern border while mitigating impacts on mountain lion populations. She is also using camera data and GPS data to quantify mountain lion distribution, density, and prey selection, information last collected in the region over 20 years ago. Chloe hopes to inform future changes to state management, as Texas is the only state with mountain lions that does not currently have a formal management plan.

Read More About Chloe's Research