After Humboldt, Rebecca went on to earn a PhD at UC Davis.

  For her Humboldt thesis, Rebecca investigated the distribution of American marten, fisher and other medium-sized carnivores in a variety of habitats and elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Track plates and remote cameras were used to detect and provide permanent records of species in habitat types ranging from nearly barren alpine areas to mid-elevation giant sequoia groves to foothill hardwood forests. Vegetation and presence/absence data from these surveys allowed Rebecca to evaluate the performance of several habitat models for the American marten within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Information from this project was reported to Park Service biologists and other wildlife managers in the region to promote awareness and understanding of the current habitat conservation needs of martens and fishers in the Sierras.