I have specialized in the statistical analysis of ecological data (e.g. from camera traps, spoor transects, and interviews with human subjects) to model species occurrence and distribution, with a focus on advanced occupancy modeling. I have a particular interest in the persistence of felids in human-dominated landscapes, and the ecological and behavioural mechanisms underlying human-wildlife conflict.

I received my Ph.D. in Ecology from the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), conducting research on the spatial ecology of African lions in collaboration with Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). While at SUNY-ESF, I won the Robert L. Burgess Outstanding Doctoral Scholar Award, given to the most accomplished doctoral student at the culmination of their program, and the Wilford A. Dence Fellowship for Excellence in Wildlife Science, awarded to the top SUNY-ESF graduate student in the wildlife sciences. I gained my Master’s degree in Environmental Management, with Certificates in Geospatial Analysis and International Development Policy, from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.

Website: https://lisannepetracca.weebly.com/

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kmtEfvUAAAAJ&hl=en

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lisanne_Petracca

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisannePetracca