Hailey’s research adopts a data-driven approach that integrates remote sensing and machine learning to better understand and quantify the impacts of woody plant encroachment in rangelands. She combines remote sensing data, in situ field measurements, and geospatial analysis to monitor vegetation changes and inform land management decisions in these ecosystems. By integrating field data with satellite imagery and lidar-derived measurements, her work supports sustainable rangeland management and livestock agriculture.

Her research employs both empirical and process-based methods to assess patterns of woody plant encroachment and its effects on carbon storage in the Great Plains. These tools link ecological patterns with natural resource management, promoting informed land use decisions.

By analyzing spatial and temporal trends in rangeland vegetation, Hailey’s work provides insights that help land managers, conservationists, and policymakers respond to ecological changes, balance livestock production with conservation goals, and support the long-term sustainability of rangelands.

She received her B.S in Environmental Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she specialized in conservation and restoration ecology. Hailey is currently pursuing her PhD in Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management at Texas A&M University.

Undergraduate Education

B.S in Environmental Science, University of Texas at San Antonio