Chris J. Peterson, Professor (at UGA since 1994) B.A. 1985, Biology & Environmental Science, Taylor University, Upland, IN Ph.D. 1992, Ecology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ Postdoc 1992-1994, Ecology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ Fulbright Fellow 2004, Dept. of Forest Ecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Personal: Chris enjoys pontificating about politics, occasionally riding a motorcycle, and reading apocalyptic novels (the best is still Lucifer’s Hammer, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle). He is married to the former Sandy VanBrocklin, who is currently a full-time mom to our two children, Jeffrey & Katherine, both 14. She was formerly Human Resources manager for UGA Facilities Management Division. Sandy's older daughter Tiffany is a 2018 graduate of University of Hawaii, is an artist, and resides with her husband Travis, in Hilo, HI. The Petersons regularly attend Athens Church. Austin Menzmer, PhD student B.S. 2017, Southern Adventist University M.S. 2019, Biology, Andrews University Austin's research focuses on the effects of wind disturbance on herbaceous species in southwest Georgia, central Georgia, and west-central Tennessee. He is examining how well herbaceous species diversity and composition recover following natural wind disturbance, sometimes coupled with salvage logging. When he's not eagerly devouring another scientific paper, Austin enjoys his hobbies of hiking, travel, making YouTube videos, and oh yes, reading more scientific papers!
