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Check out the 2023 Public Lands Survey and Waldo Canyon Student Collaborative Research (SCoRe) Program Posters!

Director's Note

Greetings! 

I’m sad to say this is the last year I will be Director of the State of the Rockies Project.  We are currently in the process of finding a new Director whose transition into the position will begin this fall. The last three years have been such a joy for me working with our Project Specialist Cyndy Hines and the student fellows and researchers. As the outgoing Director, I want to highlight our many accomplishments of the previous three years and also say a huge thank you to Cyndy for her innovation and drive to expand State of the Rockies to engage more students than ever before, to our CC students for being incredible researchers and creative partners, to our CC colleagues for their support of - and involvement with - our many projects, and to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for providing the funding that allowed us to grow this program.

I’m pleased to say our research and projects over the past three years have been fruitful, and we have achieved many accomplishments including: journal, magazine, and online publications and podcasts, presenting papers and posters at national conferences, participating in the annual Colorado College SCoRE Research Symposium, hosting the annual Conservation in the West Poll, and teaching Rockies courses on specific topics related to the Rocky Mountain West, among many additional ongoing projects. Please see our detailed list of accomplishments.

We are also proud to say our Colorado College 50^th reunion graduating class of 1972 chose the State of the Rockies Project as the focus of its ‘giving back’ fundraising campaign. The campaign raised over $130,000 to create an Endowed Fund for State of the Rockies Student Fellowships. 

The State of the Rockies has been a major highlight of my time at CC, and I will be forever grateful for this experience. I look forward to seeing what the future holds and where it will take our students!

With gratitude, 

Karina (Kat) Miller-Stevens, PhD
She/her/hers
Director, State of the Rockies Project
Associate Professor, Economics & Business
Colorado College

STATE OF THE ROCKIES
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM 2021-2024

Publications in Journals, Magazines, Online Media, and Podcasts

• “How anger and fear influence policy narratives: Advocacy and regulation of oil and gas drilling in Colorado” in the Review of Policy Research, co-authors Jonathan Pierce (University of Colorado Denver), Katrina (Kat) Miller-Stevens, Isabel Hicks (’22), Dova Castaneda Zilly (’23), Saigopal Rangaraj (’23), Evan Rao (’22), 2022.

• “Anthropogenic”, a digital and print magazine. The Summer 2023 edition can be found here, edited by Alison Mueller-Hickler (‘26), Macy McCauley ‘(24) Nicole Craighead (’26), Rafi Donohoe (’24), and Cyndy Hines. The Fall 2022 edition can be found here, edited by Samwel Makayo (’25), Delia Freliech (’22), Eric Ingram (’22) and Cyndy Hines.
• Podcast series: Forged by Fire, 2023.

Podcast description: A podcast about wildfire in the American west in 2023, and the way communities are responding by Henry Hodde (’24), Corey Hutchins, and Cyndy Hines, 2023.

• Episode 1: "There's no such thing as fire season" 

Episode 1 Description: An introduction to the current state of wildfire in the American west, and what we can all do to help.  

• Episode 2: Recovery

Episode 2 Description: The story of two towns. Both faced devastating wildfires. Here's how they responded.  

• Episode 3: Fire in their Blood

Episode 3 Description: For the Battin's, fighting wildfire is a family affair.  

• “Castle Rock: Then & now”, Water Resources and Climate Change, by Anna Sofia Vera (’22) and Diellza Muriqi (’22), D. Freliech, Cyndy Hines, and Matt Cooney, 2021.
• “Conserve our constellations” by Katie Joslyn (’22) and Cyndy Hines, 2021.

 Papers and Posters Presented at National Conferences

• “How anger and fear influence policy narratives: Advocacy and regulation of oil and gas drilling in Colorado” paper by Jonathan Pierce (University of Colorado Denver), Katrina (Kat) Miller-Stevens, Isabel Hicks (’22), Dova Castaneda Zilly (’23), Saigopal Rangaraj (’23), Evan Rao (’22) presented at the Midwest Political Science Association’s national conference, 2022. The presentation can be found here.
  • “An overhaul of fracking policy in Colorado: A location-based spatial analysis of policy actor positionality & participation” poster by Dova Castaneda Zilly (’23) and Benjamin Gibson (’23) presented at the Midwest Political Science Association’s national conference, 2023. The paper can be found here.
  • “A preliminary analysis of opinions on the oil and gas industry through the Annual Conservation in the West Survey” poster by Saigopal Rangaraj (’23), Zoey Roueche (’23), and Zoraiz Zafar (’24) presented at the Midwest Political Science Association’s national conference, 2023.
  • “The effects of burn severity on soil chemistry and Pinus ponderosa regeneration in Waldo Canyon, CO” by Sydney Morris (’24) and Roxaneh Khorsand, and State of the Rockies presented at the Midstates Undergraduate Research Symposium, 2023.
  • “The re-establishment of a Ponderosa pine forest: a multiple-scale twenty-year retrospect of the Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado” poster to be presented at the 2024 Association of American Geographers conference, by Sydney Morris (’24), Charlotte Pulido (’24), Chris Burich (’24), Theo Ollier (’26), Liam Keilty (’25), Cyndy Hines, and Matt Cooney, forthcoming 2024.

Ongoing Research-in-Progress

Oil & Gas:

• “A preliminary analysis of opinions on the oil and gas industry through the Annual Conservation in the West Survey” by Zoraiz Zafar (’24), Saigopal Rangaraj (’23), Mustafa Sameen (’25), Zoey Roueche (’23), and Katrina (Kat) Miller-Stevens.
• “Why so emotional? An exploration of the use of emotional advocacy in nonprofit organizations influencing oil and gas regulation” by Katrina (Kat) Miller-Stevens, Jason Machado (University of Colorado Denver), Charlotte Toogood (’24), Layla Haji (’25), and Dr. Jonathan Pierce (University of Colorado Denver) with acknowledgments to Micah Arrison (’23), Willow Ma (’24) and Haley Harnisch (’24).

Payments for Water-Based Ecosystems:

• “Working together: A governance perspective of payments for water-based ecosystem services collaboratives” by Katrina (Kat) Miller-Stevens, Mark Eiswerth (University of Northern Colorado), Ewan Henderson (’24), and Samwel Makyao (‘24).
• “Challenges, opportunities, and practices in payments for water-based ecosystem services: Results of a survey of program managers” by Mark Eiswerth (University of Northern Colorado), Katrina (Kat) Miller-Stevens, Ewan Henderson (’24), and Samwel Makyao (‘24).

 Dark Skies:

• “Light pollution keywords: Stories, relationships, and impacts” by
  Nathalie San Fratello (’25) and Cyndy Hines.
• “Big starry skies: A State of the Rockies virtual exhibit” by Sarah Bedell (’24) Dark Skies Artist in Resident and Cyndy Hines.
• “Light pollution: A threat to biodiversity” by Guanyi Yang (CC Economics & Business) and Natalia Segovia-Soto (’25).
• “Contingent behavior modeling for dark skies valuation at Great Sand Dunes National Park” by Guanyi Yang (CC Economics & Business), Mark Eiswerth (University of Northern Colorado), Liam Mullen (‘25), and Ben Slater (‘26) with acknowledgment to Willow Ma (‘24), Jacob McDougall (‘24), Avery Morgan (UNC student) and Duaa Nakshbandi (UNC student).
• “From brightness to burden: The impact of night light pollution on infant health” by Guanyi Yang (CC Economics & Business), Mark Eiswerth (University of Northern Colorado), Ben Slater (‘26), and Ella Reese-Clauson (‘26) (with acknowledgment to Willow Ma (‘24), and Sergio Hernandez (‘26).

 Waldo Canyon:

• “The re-establishment of a Ponderosa pine forest: a multiple-scale twenty-year retrospect of the Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado” by Sydney Morris (’24), Charlotte Pulido (’24), Chris Burich (’24), Theo Ollier (’26), Liam Keilty (’25), Cyndy Hines, and Matt Cooney.
• Climate Change and Wester Forest fires Artists in Residence:
  • “Height and size does not reveal age”, Waldo Canyon, Colorado by Maren Greene (’24) and Cyndy Hines, Photography project.
  • Ponderosa pine webs, Waldo Canyon, Colorado, by Ollie Beland (’25) and Cyndy Hines, Photography and Fibers project.

 Public Lands:

• “Exploratory model of CO2 emissions to estimate the carbon footprint of public lands visitors” by Jesus Lara Rivas (’25) and Cyndy Hines.
• “On the outside, in the outside” by Brigitte Arcoite (‘24) and Cyndy Hines.
• “Reflecting on Awe” by Lily Frost (’26) and Cyndy Hines.

 Climate Change:

• Climate Investigations Through Film:
  • “Environmental film: An ethnographic study” by Katy Chapman (’24) and Cyndy Hines.
  • “Rootbound” by Audrey Colgin (’23), Daniel de Koning (’23), Matan Fields (’26), Charlie Marks (’26), Sada Schumann (’26), Melanie Shea (’22), Aaron Patterson (’12), and Cyndy Hines.

Research Presented at the Annual Colorado College SCoRE Research Symposium

In 2021:

• “A preliminary analysis of the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on lives and livelihoods in the Rocky Mountain West” by Saigopal Rangaraj (’23), 2020/21.
• “Examining claims about the economic impact of fracking made by Colorado’s oil & gas industry and environmentalists during the Senate Public Testimonies passing SB 19-181” by Dova Castaneda Zilly (’23) and Evan Rao (’22), 2021.
• “Analyzing policy debates on SB 19-181” by Izzie Hicks and Greta Forseth, 2021.
• “Water management in Castle Rock: How a Front Range city is responding to groundwater uncertainty by Diellza Muriqui (’22), Anna Vera (’22), Cyndy Hines, and Matt Cooney, 2021.
• “Conserve our constellations” by Katie Joslyn (’22) and Cyndy Hines.
• “Mapping light pollution and dark sky areas in Colorado” by Drew Manning (’22), Cyndy Hines, and Matt Cooney, 2021.
• “State of the Rockies: Dark skies at Colorado College’s Baca Campus” by Michael Braithwaite (’24) and Cyndy Hines, 2021.

 In 2022:

• “A preliminary analysis of opinions on the oil and gas industry through the Annual Conservation in the West Survey” by Zoraiz Zafar (’24) and Zoey Roueche (’23), 2022.
• “Studying payments for water-based ecosystem services” by Ewan Henderson (’24) and Samwel Makyao (‘24), 2022.
• “Policy Actor Proximity to Fracking and Political Behavior on Colorado’s SB 19-181” by Dova Castaneda Zilly (’23) and Benjamin Gibson (’23), 2022.
• “Going public with the poll: Interviews with public lands visitors” by Sam Nystrom Costales (’25), Henry Hodde (’24), Anil Jergens (’23), Cecelia Timberg (’24) and Cyndy Hines, 2022.

 In 2023:

• “Challenges, opportunities, and practices in payments for water-based ecosystem services: Results of a survey of program managers” by Ewan Henderson (’24) and Sangay Mingyur (’24), 2023.
• “Analysis of opinions on the oil & gas industry through the Conservation in the West Survey” by Zoraiz Zafar (’24) and Mustafa Sameen (’25), 2023.
• “Going public with the Poll:  Do you support dark skies conservation?  A conversation with public lands visitors in the Rocky Mountain West” by Brigitte Arcoite (’24), Lily Frost “(26), Jesus Lara Rivas (‘25), Liam Mullen (’26), and Nathalie San Fratello (’25), 2023.
• “The re-establishment of a Ponderosa pine forest: a multiple-scale twenty-year retrospect of the Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado” bySydney Morris (’24), Charlotte Pulido (’24), Chris Burich (’24), Theo Ollier (’26), Liam Keilty (’25), Cyndy Hines, and Matt Cooney, 2023.
• “Investigating the Motivations Behind Environmental Films through an Ethnographic Lens” by  Katy Chapman (’24) and Cyndy Hines, 2023.

 Other Notable Accomplishments

• Sharing the Conservation in the West Poll data with academics, news media, and students through our Data Viz website, coordinated and supervised by Cyndy Hines.
• Exhibiting the State of the Rockies Orange Skies Student Photos in the Tutt Library and the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, coordinated and supervised by Cyndy Hines.
• Coordinating our annual Vintage Poster Contest and Student Photo Contest, led by Cyndy Hines. Our students’ State of the Rockies Vintage Posters were displayed at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt during Dr. Sarah Hautzinger and Myra Jackson’s class trip.

 Rockies-Related Courses

In 2019:

• GS233: Topics in Journalism: Environmental Journalism in the Rocky Mountain West: Changing Climates: Changing Lives, taught by Visiting Professor Bruce Finley, Denver Post.

In 2021:

• EC/BU110: Topics in Economics and Business: Nonprofit Advocacy, taught by Kat Miller-Stevens.

In 2022:

• BU110/EV260 People, Planet, and the Environment: The Oil and Gas Industry, taught by Kat Miller-Stevens and Jonathan Pierce (University of Colorado Denver).
• GS233 Topics in Journalism: A Writer’s Field Guide to Colorado Springs, featuring State of the Rockies, taught by Visiting Assistant Professor Dot Devota.

In 2023:

• EV261 Topics in Environmental Humanities: Environment and climate journalism: True stories of people in the natural world, taught by Bruce Finley, Denver Post.