Program Mentors
Get to know a little about our program mentors and what they specialize in.
Michelle L. Green, PhD
Co-Director and Primary Mentor
Dr. Green grew up in Michigan where she completed an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences. She moved to Florida to study wildlife genetics before coming to the Department of Animal Sciences in 2011. She now specializes in wildlife biology and genetics with a focus on wildlife health. Dr. Green is looking forward to getting outside and exposing the WE CAN fellows to the broad fields of biology and wildlife conservation in the coming months.
Paul C. Davidson, PhD
Co-Director and Primary Mentor
Dr. Davidson is a native of Illinois and has been a faculty member in the department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering since 2014. Dr. Davidson specializes in soil, water resources, engineering, and water quality. He is especially excited to be co-leading the WE CAN program and is anxious to meet the participants of the first cohort in summer 2017.
Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, PhD
Secondary Mentor
Dr. Mateus grew up in South America and moved to Illinois to pursue a graduate program at the University of Illinois. Over the years she has been motivated by intellectual curiosity that has taken her to pursue a Veterinary Degree, a Masters in Veterinary Internal Medicine, a PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and a Master’s in Business Administration. Her research interests are at the interface of human health, conservation, domestic (small and livestock animals) and wildlife health. Her interests overlap with animal welfare and regulatory frameworks applied to research. Dr Mateus works at the Illinois Natural History Survey-Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois; she holds adjunct positions with the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at UIUC. She serves as an undergraduate and graduate advisor, and looks forward to short and long term interactions with the WE CAN fellows as they explore the interface of education and science.