Hometown: Beach, North Dakota 
NDSU Degree: BS Range Science 

Dr. Karen Launchbaugh ’84 has built a career defined by scientific excellence, inspired teaching, and a deep commitment to the land-grant mission. Raised on a sheep and cattle ranch in western North Dakota, her connection to rangelands began early through hands-on experience and FFA. She chose NDSU for its strong agricultural programs, earning a bachelor’s degree in range science while developing leadership skills as president of the Range Club and Mortar Board Honor Society. She later earned an M.S. in range science from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. from Utah State University. 

Now a professor of rangeland ecology at the University of Idaho, Karen is nationally and internationally recognized for her research and leadership. She is a pioneer in targeted grazing — an ecological approach to vegetation management — has conducted extensive research on the topic and co-edited “Targeted Grazing: A Natural Approach to Vegetation Management and Landscape Enhancement” (2006), a foundational text that has shaped Natural Resources Conservation Service programs and land restoration efforts across the western U.S. Her work is distinguished by its real-world impact, bridging research with practice for ranchers, land managers, and public agencies responsible for managing millions of acres of land. 

Teaching is at the heart of Karen’s career. From her early experience as an undergraduate teaching assistant at NDSU to faculty roles at Texas Tech University and the University of Idaho, she has been known for immersive, field-based education and exceptional mentorship. Her legendary field trips — where students learn directly from ranchers, sleep under the stars, and share meals around a campfire — have inspired generations of land managers. Her teaching excellence has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Range Science Education Council Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award (2013) and U.S. Professor of the Year for Idaho (2014). “My greatest joy is seeing former students managing lands and working in land management organizations and agencies,” she said. 

Karen’s service and leadership extend well beyond the classroom. As chair of the University of Idaho’s Rangeland Ecology and Management Department, she helped establish the University of Idaho Rangeland Center and served as its founding director. She has also been a long-standing leader in the Society for Range Management, serving as president in 2023 and receiving its highest honor, the Frederick G. Renner Award, in 2024. Through her research, teaching, and outreach, Karen has profoundly shaped rangeland science and exemplifies the land-grant mission in action.