Dr. Morgan Crump is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vermont in the Rubinstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources where she applies her conservation social science expertise to issues regarding artificial light at night and soundscapes in parks and protected areas. She holds a dual-title degree in Recreation, Park, and Tourism management & Social Data Analytics from the Pennsylvania State University. She obtained her master’s degree in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management from the Pennsylvania State University, as well as her bachelor’s degree in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University. Morgan has worked on a variety of issues relating to visitor use management in parks in protected areas in relation to both sensory ecology and humans dimensions of wildlife management. Additionally she manages the Protect Areas Research Collaborative Listening Lab which is a partnership with the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division of the National Park Service. In 2019 she received the Udall Scholarship and in 2021 received the National Science Foundation GRFP.
“My research concerning Leave No Trace in relation to visitor use management in parks and protected areas has focused on understanding how artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise affect both visitor experiences and natural environments. I have studied visitor preferences for park conditions and how these insights can guide management. I’ve contributed to the development of Leave No Trace principles for artificial light and sounds, and my work increasingly centers on strategies to reduce ALAN and noise in parks while engaging visitors through messaging that inspires lasting behavior change both inside and beyond protected areas."
