Dr. Julie A. Heath joined the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences at Boise State University in 2007. This was a return to Boise State where she had earned her master’s degree in Raptor Biology in 1996. Dr. Heath also holds a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and a B.S. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Heath is interested in how wildlife populations respond to anthropogenic ecosystem change. Human activity can alter habitats so that resources necessary for wildlife survival and reproduction become mediocre, scarce, unpredictable, or unusable. Much of her research has focused on avian reproduction, specifically the effects of human activities on avian parental care, and how birds select nesting sites in human-dominated areas. These studies help inform wildlife management and aid in the conservation of declining species.