{"id":2089,"date":"2022-08-22T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T17:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2089"},"modified":"2024-08-05T18:42:23","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T01:42:23","slug":"online-data-analytics-brent-wolf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/online-data-analytics-brent-wolf\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking wildlife research to the next level with online data analytics master’s program"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Brent Wolf’s work with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife involves collecting and analyzing data on deer and other species. \u201cWe need to be able to effectively communicate what we are finding, why it is important and why people should care,\u201d he says.<\/p><\/div>\n

Hands-on career and learning online yield ideal results for Oregon State Ecampus graduate<\/h2>\n
Editor’s note:<\/strong> This article was originally published in the Oregon State College of Science’s IMPACT magazine<\/a>.<\/div>\n

A wildlife research biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Brent Wolf couldn’t be happier with the career path he’s found. \u201cComing to Oregon was a great choice. I love living out here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Wolf is also a graduate of the College of Science\u2019s two-year online Master of Science in Data Analytics<\/a>, a flexible<\/a> program that\u00a0allows him to continue working the job he loves while getting his degree. He was drawn to the program as a way to get a leg up in his current role, and so far it has paid off.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing for the M.S. in Data Analytics has opened some doors for me that were previously closed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Finding fulfillment with wildlife research<\/h3>\n

Wolf mapped out his career path early. \u201cI grew up watching Steve Irwin and BBC nature shows, plus I enjoy being able to be outside and solve problems. Wildlife is just a good fit for all of that,\u201d Wolf said.\u00a0As a research biologist, he collects and analyzes data on a variety of Oregon species, including black-tailed deer, Columbian white-tailed deer and the American marten.<\/p>\n

After graduating from the Florida Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Ecology and Marine Biology, Wolf encountered some of the drawbacks of working with wildlife: low pay and frequent moves between seasonal jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cODFW is the first spot where I actually have a permanent job with upward mobility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

To make a bigger impact at ODFW, Wolf decided to go back to school for data analytics. Oregon State\u2019s program, delivered online by nationally ranked OSU Ecampus, \u201cjumped out because it was an M.S. and offered some courses that I really wanted to take,\u201d he said. Unlike most online learning opportunities, OSU Ecampus courses are taught by the same Oregon State faculty who teach in person, giving students access to experienced, committed professionals in every field.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Earning a master\u2019s in data analytics online helped boost Audrey Dickinson’s career. \u201cThere are a lot of great professors and the coursework was very valuable. Right away, I applied things that I was learning to my real-life job,\u201d she says. Read her story \u00bb<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI really enjoyed Professor\u00a0Lan Xue<\/a>, especially her survival statistics course,\u201d said Wolf. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard to get good at something like that without some instruction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Distilling data for strong decision-making<\/h3>\n

As our ability to collect information explodes, having people who know how to process and interpret data is more important than ever. From environmental solutions and health care to engineering and product development, being able to collect and translate data pays off across the board.<\/p>\n

Research biologists like Wolf work both in the field and at computers, reviewing existing studies on the species and deciding what model will allow them to best address and communicate what they need to know next.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really like being able to provide wildlife managers with study results that can help them make the best decisions possible,\u201d Wolf said of his work at ODFW. \u201cMaking sure that the science input that they get is well-done and answers the questions they need is pretty important and satisfying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Centrally located in Roseburg, Oregon, Wolf works on a wide array of studies. One project is focused on deer fawn survival, looking at the first six months of life when fawns are most vulnerable to predators. He also works in the Archie Creek fire area in southwest Oregon, monitoring what species are still in the burned area, what comes back and how long it takes for them to come back. Finally, a camera study just north of Crater Lake monitors occupancy of martens and other mid-sized carnivores.<\/p>\n

Translating data into action<\/h3>\n

Managing wildlife involves balancing the needs of many different stakeholders. All species are affected to some degree by human activity, natural disasters and climate change, and data analytics is crucial to understanding those effects and how to mitigate them. Oregon State\u2019s online data analytics program trains students to translate data into terms the public can understand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be able to effectively communicate what we are finding, why it is important and why people should care,\u201d Wolf said.<\/p>\n

A love for animals and the scientific process motivates Wolf to work toward a better world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we should always be pushing forward with new studies to answer new questions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about Oregon State’s online data analytics master’s degree program and a graduate certificate in data analytics.<\/em><\/p>\n

Request information<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Brent Wolf is a wildlife research biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He’s also a graduate of Oregon State’s online data analytics master’s program. He was drawn to the program as a way to get a leg up in his current role, and so far it has paid off. \u201cGoing for the M.S. in Data Analytics has opened some doors for me that were previously closed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":2090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,3,8],"tags":[159,32],"class_list":["post-2089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-features","category-students","tag-college-of-science","tag-data-analytics"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Brent-Wolf-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-xH","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1032,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/jordan-levi-fisheries-wildlife-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":2089,"position":0},"title":"Experiential learning led to flourishing career prospects for fisheries, wildlife and conservation sciences alumna","author":"Julie Cooper","date":"October 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"New textbooks, classmates from all over the world, the cover of the forest, calls from birds unseen, the fresh smell of soil (and sometimes fish). These are all the well-known staples of a college classroom. At least, that\u2019s what Jordan Levi came to expect of her learning environments while enrolled\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fisheries and wildlife sciences alumna Jordan walks outdoors and carries a tablet in the bend of her left arm.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/jordan-levi-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/jordan-levi-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/jordan-levi-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/jordan-levi-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1292,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/fisheries-and-wildlife-program-earns-award\/","url_meta":{"origin":2089,"position":1},"title":"Oregon State\u2019s fisheries and wildlife online program earns prestigious national award","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"November 20, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"A track record of student success and faculty satisfaction have helped an Oregon State University online bachelor\u2019s degree program be honored as one of the nation\u2019s best. OSU\u2019s fisheries and wildlife sciences bachelor\u2019s program on Tuesday won the Online Learning Consortium\u2019s John R. Bourne Outstanding Online Program Award at a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A graphic with a trophy icon above the words fisheries and wildlife sciences, John R. Bourne Outstanding Online Program Award, set above the Online Learning Consortium's logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":301,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/justin-zweifel-master-natural-resources-oregon-state-university\/","url_meta":{"origin":2089,"position":2},"title":"Justin Zweifel, Master of Natural Resources | Oregon State University","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"May 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Justin Zweifel was looking for a competitive edge in the fisheries and wildlife job market, so he decided to pursue his Master of Natural Resources degree online with Oregon State Ecampus. He applied credits earned from his water conflict management graduate certificate -- also earned online with OSU Ecampus --\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Justin Zweifel wears a black coat and stands in front of a red brick building with dark green trim.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/zweifel-3.jpg?fit=734%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/zweifel-3.jpg?fit=734%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/zweifel-3.jpg?fit=734%2C410&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/zweifel-3.jpg?fit=734%2C410&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1159,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/remote-studies-support-fisheries-career\/","url_meta":{"origin":2089,"position":3},"title":"Remote studies, experiential learning push forward fisheries career","author":"Erin J. Bernard","date":"March 27, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Forging a career in Alaska\u2019s seafood industry isn\u2019t easy \u2013 but Oregon State Ecampus alum Tommy Sheridan can't picture himself anywhere else. While living and working in Alaska, his Fisheries Management Graduate Certificate and\u00a0Professional Science Master's in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration offered ample career growth. Now, with a gift to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tommy Sheridan, Oregon State Ecampus alum, at work in a crabbing factory in Alaska.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tommy-Sheridan-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tommy-Sheridan-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tommy-Sheridan-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tommy-Sheridan-main.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2180,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/jane-vinesky-fisheries-wildlife-conservation-sciences\/","url_meta":{"origin":2089,"position":4},"title":"Oregon State Everywhere: Finding community and support from all points on the map","author":"Jane Vinesky","date":"December 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Faculty made time to tutor me, teach me, counsel me, write recommendations and discuss professional opportunities. Although I was an Ecampus student, the Oregon State community is so strong that I felt its support from wherever I was in the world.\" \u2014 Jane Vinesky, fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences graduate","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jane Vinesky","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Jane-Vinesky-800x450-221201.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Jane-Vinesky-800x450-221201.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Jane-Vinesky-800x450-221201.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Jane-Vinesky-800x450-221201.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2557,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/explore-3-online-degrees-focused-on-animal-science-and-conservation\/","url_meta":{"origin":2089,"position":5},"title":"Which online animal science or conservation degree should I choose?","author":"Elena Moffet","date":"November 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State offers several bachelor's programs in conservation and animal sciences that you can earn online. Learn what makes each unique and the different skills you'll gain.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A grey heron stands in shallow water with a captured fish in its beak, reflected on the water\u2019s surface.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-CNS-MC-Wildlife-800x450-240529.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-CNS-MC-Wildlife-800x450-240529.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-CNS-MC-Wildlife-800x450-240529.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-CNS-MC-Wildlife-800x450-240529.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2089"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}