Dr. Brad Elder

Dr. Brad Elder serves as a Trainer for TREX and brings more than 30 years of experience in fire ecology, prescribed fire, research, and education. He began his professional prescribed fire career in 1991 while completing his PhD in Fire Ecology at Kansas State University, where he worked extensively on the renowned Konza Prairie research site. Following nine years of research and fire operations at Konza, Brad continued his work through a postdoctoral appointment in Oklahoma before joining Doane University in Nebraska, where he is a Professor of Ecology. Throughout his career, he has led prairie restoration efforts, developed prescribed fire education and outreach programs, and created training materials and videos used by prescribed fire practitioners across the Great Plains and beyond. Brad regularly works with landowners, land managers, students, and fire professionals to plan and implement safe, effective prescribed burns and also serves as a volunteer structural firefighter in Crete, Nebraska. His extensive experience on the fireline, combined with his passion for teaching and mentorship, has made him a respected leader in prescribed fire and a valuable member of the TREX instructional team.