Bio & Expertise

My interests at the level of the plant community are focused predominantly on forest community ecology. I'm particularly interested in secondary succession and the species dynamics of the herbaceous layer of forests, as well as the variety of biotic and abiotic factors that influence species composition and change within this vegetation stratum. My future research plans reflect extensions of previous work in the following three areas: (1) vegetation dynamics in forest ecosystems, (2) nitrogen dynamics of forest ecosystems, and (3) species composition and stand structure in old-growth longleaf pine forests.

Links

Personal website
University webpage

Honors

Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring
University of West Florida (United States, Pensacola) - UWF, 03/2023
Excellence in Science and Technology, Distinguished Artist and Scholars Award
Marshall University (United States, Huntington), 2010-2011
Finalist, Reynolds Teacher of the Year
Marshall University (United States, Huntington), 2014-2015
Finalist, Reynolds Teacher of the Year
Marshall University (United States, Huntington), 2006-2007
Hedrick Outstanding Faculty Award
Marshall University (United States, Huntington), 2001-2002
Excellence in Science and Technology, Distinguished Artist and Scholars Award
Marshall University (United States, Huntington), 1999-2000

Organizational Affiliations

Professor, Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering

Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Professor Emeritus, Marshall University (United States, Huntington)

Past Affiliations

Professor, Biology

Professor , Marshall University (United States, Huntington)

Education

Forest Ecology
1983, PhD, Duke University (United States, Durham)

Dissertation: Effects of fire on components of nutrient dynamics in a lower Coastal Plain watershed ecosystem.

Forest Ecology
1977, MF, Duke University (United States, Durham)
General Biology
1976, BS, Vanderbilt University (United States, Nashville)

Minor: Chemistry