Erika Nowak

About

Dr. Erika M. Nowak is an Associate Research Professor in the School of Earth and Sustainability and the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University, where she has been a faculty member since 2017. She also serves as the Assistant Curator of Herpetology and has over 30 years of experience researching reptiles and amphibians.

Research Interests

Endangered Species Research and Conservation

• Federally threatened narrow-headed gartersnakes (Thamnophis rufipunctatus)
• Federally threatened Northern Mexican gartersnakes (Thamnophis eques megalops)
• Captive breeding and husbandry research, repatriation, and translocation
• Ecology, diet, habitat use and distribution
• Population monitoring, biological monitoring, and recovery strategies
• Hands-on husbandry and field research experiences for undergraduates

Venomous Reptile Ecology

• Research-based management to address human-venomous reptile conflicts

• Effects of translocation on “nuisance” venomous reptiles

• Predatory roles and niche separation of venomous reptiles

• Safely keeping venomous reptiles on the landscape in human-developed areas

Wildlife Inventory and Monitoring

• Herpetofauna and small vertebrate surveys
• Regional biodiversity assessments
• Long-term population monitoring programs
• Ecology, inventory, and population monitoring, focused on riparian and aquatic ecosystems
• Human-wildlife conflict mitigation

Education

• Ph.D. Biology, Northern Arizona University (2009)
• M.S. Biology, Northern Arizona University (1998)
• B.S. Wildlife Biology, Cornell University (1991)

Research Experience

Field Research Leadership

• 30 years of venomous reptile research and management experience
• Extensive field surveys across the Southwestern United States
• Telemetric studies of rattlesnake and gartersnake behavior and ecology
• Long-term population monitoring programs for small vertebrates

Multi-Agency Collaboration

• Research conducted with federal, tribal, state, non-profit, and private partners
• Partnerships with land management agencies
• Collaborative conservation planning initiatives
• Climate change impacts on southwestern US herpetofauna

Major Research Projects

Gartersnake Conservation Research

• Leader of long-term research with narrow-headed and Northern Mexican gartersnakes
• Telemetric studies at sites across Arizona and New Mexico
• Graduate student supervision on habitat use, ecology, and distribution studies
• Diet analyses and ecological niche research

Venomous Reptile Research

• Leader of long-term research with rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters
• Telemetric studies in public locations across Arizona
• Graduate student supervision on habitat use, ecology, and management studies
• Public education and outreach initiatives

Professional Affiliations

Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes

• Core member focusing on reptile conservation in changing landscapes
• Integration of conservation research with landscape and human management

Gartersnake Research Project

• Director of federally threatened species research, including captive husbandry and field studies
• Coordinator of graduate and undergraduate student research programs
• Public education and outreach initiatives

Arizona-New Mexico Gartersnake Conservation Working Group

• Active member contributing scientific expertise
• Assist with coordination of multi-state conservation efforts
• Policy and management recommendations

Former USGS-NAU Colorado Plateau Research Station

• Staff researcher leading regional biodiversity studies
• Coordinator of herpetological research
• NAU Contact (Erika.Nowak@nau.edu)

Research Impact and Recognition

Publications and Media

• Featured in “American Snakes” (2018) for conservation work with rattlesnakes and gartersnakes
• Numerous scientific publications on reptile ecology and conservation
• Expert contributor to conservation policy and management documents

Conservation Applications

• Scientific basis for federal endangered species listing decisions and recovery
• Habitat and species management recommendations for land management agencies
• Biological monitoring for state and federally listed riparian vertebrates

Graduate Student Supervision

Dr. Nowak mentors graduate students studying:

• Habitat use and distribution of narrow-headed and northern Mexican gartersnakes
• Reptile ecology and behavior
• Conservation biology field techniques
• Venomous reptile ecology, conservation, and management
• Wildlife management and policy applications

Professional Service

• Member of professional herpetological societies
• Reviewer for conservation biology and ecology journals
• Consultant for wildlife management agencies
• Expert witness for venomous and endangered species consultations
• Biological monitoring for listed species

Conservation Philosophy

Dr. Nowak’s research emphasizes the integration of rigorous scientific study with practical, often student-led conservation applications. Her work directly informs management decisions and recovery strategies for some of the Southwest’s most imperiled and misunderstood reptile species and their habitats.

Current Research Focus

Dr. Nowak continues to lead critical research on:

• Population recovery of federally threatened gartersnakes
• Human-wildlife (venomous reptile) conflict resolution
• Biological monitoring and habitat restoration effectiveness for reptile species