Bess is an Associate Professor of Protected Areas and Natural Resources Recreation Management in MSU’s Department of Community Sustainability. As director of the Park Connections Lab, her applied social science research focuses on sustainable park management, inclusive community connections, and recreation responses to climate change. Her recent honors include the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award and USDA Forest Service Chief’s Honor Award.
Bess regularly partners with conservation agencies to provide the visitor use and community data necessary to balance access with conservation. Leveraging deep expertise in the Northern Forest region, her recent projects include assessing mountain biking impacts on rural amenities, developing a community-engaged climate action plan for a heavily visited park system, and investigating recreation displacement across multiple contexts.
Before joining MSU, Bess was a postdoctoral researcher at Clemson University. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Vermont, an M.S. from Oregon State University, and a B.S. from the University of Idaho. Her foundational career with the National Park Service ultimately inspired her transition into the social science of parks and recreation.
