Nicole Dickan didn’t plan on becoming a bear biologist. But after years of hands-on fieldwork, graduate research in West Texas, and a recent appointment with Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the former Sul Ross State University student has found herself on the front lines of black bear conservation.
Dickan, a graduate of the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross, recently accepted a wildlife specialist position that will have her leading a new black bear reproduction study in Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest. The move marks the latest chapter in a career shaped by cross-country fieldwork and years of tracking large mammals.
Her path began at Canisius College in New York, where she studied animal behavior, ecology, conservation, and psychology. That academic foundation led her to Alpine and the BRI program, where she earned a master’s degree in Range and Wildlife Management. Her thesis focused on seasonal behavior patterns of black bears recolonizing the arid landscapes of West Texas.
“They become more nocturnal in the summer when it’s hot and rely more on deer feeders and other attractants in the fall,” Dickan said.
During her time at BRI, she led field crews, trained technicians, and handled around 30 black bears as part of her research—adding to an already extensive resume that included wildlife projects in Oklahoma and Idaho.
Dickan said her experience at Sul Ross prepared her well for this next step. “Having my own project to develop and manage gave me experience I’ll carry into this new role,” she said. “And working with technicians taught me how to lead a team and train others.”
Her new role in Vermont will examine how food availability affects cub survival and reproductive success in a changing habitat. The position stemmed from connections she made while presenting her work at international bear conferences representing BRI.
With a research career already spanning a wide range of environments—from dense forests to the Chihuahuan Desert—Dickan’s next chapter brings her back to the Northeast, continuing a career driven by scientific curiosity and a deep understanding of the animals she studies.
Source: https://bri.sulross.edu/on-the-bear-trail-nicole-dickans-wild-path-from-student-to-scientist/
