Reyhane Rastgoo

Conservation Social Scientist Interested in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and Human-Wildlife Interactions.

About

I am Reyhane Rastgoo, a Ph.D. student in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation program at Virginia Tech, working in Dr. Ashley Dayer's Human Dimensions Lab. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a master’s in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from the University of Tehran, Iran. As a conservation social scientist, my research focuses on the intersection of conservation and social science, particularly the human dimensions of natural resources and human-wildlife interactions. As a Graduate Research Assistant at Virginia Tech, I am investigating the motivations behind longleaf pine landowners' participation in the Conservation Reserve Program.

Education

Ph.D. Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. 2024-Present.M.S. Biodiversity Conservation, University of Tehran, Karaj, Alborz, Iran. 2021B.S. Environmental Science, University of Tehran, Karaj, Alborz, Iran. 2019

Research Interest

  • Human Dimensions of Natural Resources

  • Human Dimensions of Wildlife

  • Quantitative Social Research

  • Qualitative Social Research

  • Human-Wildlife Conflict

Publications

  • Rastgoo, R., Nayeri, D., Mohammadi, A., Bath., A. J., Alizade Shabani, A. (2021). Attitudes toward Brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Northern Iran. International Bear News. (Vol. 30 no. 3, Pp 18-19).

  • Nayeri, D., Arianejad, M., Rastgoo, R. (2022). Challenges of Human-Bear Conflict Management: Case Studies from Iran. International Bear News. (Vol. 31 no. 3, Pp 21-22).

  • Nayeri, D., Rastgoo, R., Mohammadi, A., Farhadinia, M. S., Bruskotter, J. T., & Vucetich, J. A. (2025). The influence of culpability, harm to animals, and professional education on attitudes about killing animals in the name of conservation. Biological Conservation, 307, 111204.

Welcome to the photo album of my master's thesis, titled "A Study of Attitudes of Local Communities in Rural Areas of Golestan Province toward Brown Bears"