Bio

Michael Tiller grew up in northern California, where he had an active outdoor lifestyle that ranged from alpine skiing in the Sierra Nevada mountains to red abalone diving on the northwest coast. My passion for the great outdoors sparked my interest in natural resource management, which led to a 15-year career with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF Fire). After 15 years with CDF Fire, Tiller became restless and pursued his education in natural resource management in Texas with a focus on wildland fire science. He is currently a forestry faculty member in the College of Natural Resources, where he advises the UW-Stevens Point Fire Crew and leads the wildland fire science program. Tiller’s research interests include fire ecology, fire effects monitoring, and ecological and wildlife habitat restoration. He currently teaches courses in forest and fire ecology, fire behavior, wildland fire policy, and introduction to forestry.

Experience and Interests

Teaching Experience

• Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2022-present)
• Adjunct Faculty, Stephen F. Austin State University (2021-2022)
• Adjunct Faculty, Stephen F. Austin State University (2018-2019)

Professional Experience

• Wildland Urban Interface Specialist II, Texas A&M Forest Service, Nacogdoches, TX (2014-2016)
• Fire Apparatus Engineer/Firefighter, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (1988-2003)

Research Interests

• Forest ecology
• Fire ecology
• Fire management
• Ecological restoration

Involvement

Professional Memberships

• Member, Society of American Foresters (2017-Present)
• Member, Association for Fire Ecology (2012-Present)

FUN FACTS

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Wildlife Biologist

Last book you read?

Elers Koch – Forty Years a Forester – 1903-1943

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

I enjoy teaching natural resource management because every landscape tells a story of the decisions we make today, and every student represents a future steward who will write the next chapter.