People

Dr. Meg Graham MacLean

I am passionate about collaborating with forestry, environmental, and community leaders at all levels to better understand the human-environment interactions that impact our forest ecosystems. As a researcher, my work uses novel quantitative methods to explore how the forested landscape is changing due to human and climate pressures, as well as how to monitor and model these changes using a biogeographical approach with the goal of informing policy and management decisions.

I currently am a Lecturer of Quantitative Ecology at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and a Research Associate at Harvard Forest, teaching novel quantitative methods to both undergraduates and graduate students, as well as modeling how human management responses to forest disturbances impact the future forests of New England.

From 2014 through 2017, I was the Assistant Dean in the Office of Academic Affairs at The School for Field Studies (SFS). In this role, I supported faculty across the globe in delivering rigorous environmental science curriculum for the over 500 students that take part in SFS's programs each year and ensured we were providing a rigorous education for our students. I also worked with our global stakeholders to create strategic research plans that guide both student and faculty inquiry at each of our centers so that we know we are doing meaningful user-inspired and scientifically relevant research. I truly enjoyed working to ensure we were serving our students well and had the best environmental study abroad programs possible. I am continually inspired by the meaningful impacts environmental education has on local communities and students in helping to address critical local environmental issues.

From 2012 to 2014 I was part of the science faculty at Babson College and taught courses in environmental science and sustainability to Babson's undergraduate business students. I completed my Ph.D. in 2012 at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in the Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science program. My research in biogeography and forest ecology explores the impacts of urbanization, forest management decisions, land cover change, and exotic species, as well as how to monitor these impacts. I have researched everything from proper forest sampling techniques to exotic bee species. This research informs land owners, planners, and conservation agencies about the effects of biodiversity change. I plan to continue my research on the interaction between anthropogenic and natural landscapes in order to better inform decision makers and land owners regarding sustainable forest and land use.