Field Station Team

The Field Station is cared for by a small team of dedicated individuals based in and around the southern Lake Michigan area. We each bring unique perspectives and skills to the day-to-day and long-term management of the land and facilities. 

Dr. Emily Bretl is the managing director of the Field Station. She oversees research, education, and outreach at the field station, as well as ecological stewardship and day-to-day management of the Field Station. Emily’s specialty lies in interdisciplinary place-based education, programmatic development, ecological stewardship, and community-based learning. She directs Marram Collaborative, an eco-educational curriculum design and consulting organization. Email Dr. Bretl.

Dr. Trevor Price is a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at UChicago. His primary research interests include Himalayan biodiversity, particularly birds and trees, the evolution of color vision in birds, and speciation processes, with a focus on birds as a model organism. He recently published Ecology of a Changed World. Email Dr. Price.

Dennis Freehling oversees the care and maintenance of the physical properties. He knows how to fix just about anything, and if he doesn’t know how to do it himself, he certainly knows who can! Dennis helps keep the driveway clear of snow during long Michigan winters and ensures everyone (and everything) is safe and sound year-round.

Ken Krieger, owner of One Man and a Tractor, mows our extensive fields and keeps our quarter-mile-long drive graded and tree-limb free. His work is integral to our habitat improvement efforts and land stewardship plans.

The Field Station if funded and operated by the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago. Several faculty have taught classes on-site or supported graduate research at the Field Station. Learn more about the diverse research and teaching interests of E&E faculty, staff, and administration.