Director of The Sharma Forestry & Ecology Lab

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Ajay Sharma is Assistant Professor of Silviculture and Applied Forest Ecology at the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment (CFWE) of Auburn University (AU). He has a PhD in forest resources and conservation from University of Florida. His research covers a wide variety of topics related to restoration and disturbance ecology of forest ecosystems in India and the US. 

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M.S. Student

Savannah Rascon recently joined the Sharma Forestry and Ecology Lab to begin her MS in Forestry at Auburn University. Savannah’s project centers around the growth and regeneration response of longleaf pine to silvicultural techniques, particularly individual tree and group selection. Her project is a collaboration between Auburn University and the Jones Center at Ichauway with co-advisor Dr. Joshua Puhlick of the Ecological Silviculture Lab. Savannah graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 with a degree in Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity and English. She had the opportunity to travel the country working as a field technician on several research projects for the 3 years between her undergrad and MS. She is passionate about conservation and the restoration of threatened forested ecosystems. 

M.S. Student

I grew up in southeastern Wisconsin. My favorite sports teams have always been the Packers, Bucks, and Brewers, but I am privileged to add Auburn to that list now as well. War Eagle! After high school in Mequon, Wisconsin, I attended the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, where I studied both Forest Management and German Language and Literature. After graduation, I went on to work for the US Forest Service for about 6 years in Missouri, Michigan and Oregon. I returned to Wisconsin as a county forester before deciding to pursue further education full time. On my off time I enjoy going to the gym, running, fishing, hunting, and anything that gets me out in the woods or near water. 

MNR Student

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Caden has recently joined the Sharma Forestry & Ecology lab as an enrolled student of the Masters in Natural Resources Professional Forester Degree Program at Auburn University. As a Florida native, Caden attended the University of Florida West Florida Research & Education Center located in Milton, Florida for his Bachelors of science while majoring in Natural Resource Conservation. As a returning student, Caden's passion for forestry has him seeking to become a registered forester for the state of Alabama. During hunting season, he especially enjoys getting out on the water to duck hunt with his friends.

Ph. D Student

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John brings to our lab 7 years of forestry consulting experience from the Louisiana forest products industry.  His professional focus mostly involved bottomland hardwood ecology.  It caught his attention when our lab offered an opportunity to study hardwood forest ecology within the Apalachicola River floodplain, part of Florida’s largest river basin.  Now John’s focus will involve collecting data to assess forest composition changes in a floodplain that has experienced increased drying since the 1950s due to anthropogenic and climatic factors.  His studies will also involve a slough flow restoration project that aims to improve natural hydrology that affects not only the forest ecosystem, but fisheries and other local economies in the region.  

Ph. D. Student

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Ashton Shell was born and raised and currently lives in Milton, Florida. Prior to graduate school, Ashton received a degree in Natural Resource Conservation at the University of Florida. He worked in Dr. Ajay Sharma’s lab as an undergraduate as well as interning one semester for Escambia County’s Water and Land Management Division. Ashton now continues his education to pursue PhD and researching  more on longleaf pine ecology and management. During his free time Ashton enjoys playing golf, fishing, hunting and exploring state and national parks

Ph.D Student

Sai is interested in exploring different ways in which basic principles of forest ecology can be used for addressing questions about forest degradation. Previously, she worked on regeneration dynamics, phenology and plant-pollinator interactions in the Western Ghats of India. And, now she is very excited to explore the long-leaf pine savanna ecosystem!
 

M.S. Student

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Denise is interested in longleaf pine ecology and management. Her thesis research is examining longleaf pine responses to group selection silviculture. Using field measurements, terrestrial laser scans and spatial statistical methods, her research will help answer the questions related to the role of gap size, shape, and orientation and the gap environment on gap cohort development. 

Research Assistant

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Brianna is interested in a variety of projects, including longleaf pine ecology, floodplains forest ecology, as well as in creating teaching modules and technology.    

M.S. Student

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Jesse studied uneven management of southern pine forests, emphasizing conversion of even-aged plantations to multifunctional uneven-aged stands. He has a large interest in ecological restoration and maintenance of native ecosystems using silvicultural methods.

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M.S. Student

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Daniel studied fire ecology, long-term stand dynamics, and growth and yield modeling in slash and longleaf pine forests. 

M.S. Student

Cody's interest lied in studying the forest dynamics of longleaf pine ecosystems. For his thesis, he examined how windstorms (hurricanes) affected forest structure and community. His research provided information that is useful in conserving and maintaining longleaf pine habitat that has been severely impacted by agriculture and urban development.

M.S. Student

Benju completed her undergraduate degree in Forestry Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Her research interests revolve around forest ecology, silviculture and climate change. For her thesis work, she focused on longleaf pine ecosystem and its interaction with prescribed burning in restoration of groundcover diversity. Apart from nature and forests, she enjoys reading and poetry. 
 

M.S. Student

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Ashton led an effort on quantifying the effects of uneven-aged harvests and hurricane damages on residual longleaf pine stand growth and development