Olivia Beaudette is a Master’s student who joined the Chalfoun Lab in 2024. Her project is based in Sublette County, WY, focused on the influence of diet and food availability on the fitness of sagebrush songbirds during early life stages. Olivia grew up in New Hampshire and later studied at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was drawn to the field of ecology through experiencing the vibrant and varied landscape of western Massachusetts. After graduating Olivia worked on several projects throughout the western U.S., which focused on a diversity of taxa including small mammals, fish, game birds, and raptors. She attributes her time working with greater sage-grouse to sparking her interest in wildlife research, especially within sagebrush landscapes. She is broadly interested in examining the intersection of wildlife and human-induced landscape change as a means of informing conservation efforts. In her free time she enjoys rock-related activities (climbing, caving, and looking for cool ones), along with perusing thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace.