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Christopher Swan

Professor of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Dr. Christopher Swan is a community ecologist with general interests in how and why species assemblages are maintained in space and time. His research and outreach program takes a broad approach to understanding how biodiversity is organized in both natural and urban ecosystems. This is accomplished through interdisciplinary collaborations with scientific and community partners, as well as informal education. A major goal of his work is to understand how biodiversity is maintained through time in spatially constrained riverine ecosystems as well as in the urban environment in general. He studies aquatic invertebrate assemblages, plant communities and associated ecosystem processes. Dr. Swan is an active member of the Society for Freshwater Science and the Ecological Society of America. He teaches courses in ecology, field ecology, aquatic ecology, and quantitative methods both in the U.S. and abroad.

Experience

  • –present
    Professor of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Education

  • 2003 
    University of Maryland, Doctor of Philosophy
  • 1997 
    University of Maryland, Master of Science
  • 1994 
    West Chester University, Bachelor of Science

Grants and Contracts

  • 2016
    A synthesis to identify how metacommunity dynamics mediate community responses to disturbance across the ecosystems represented in the LTER network
    Role:
    co-PI
    Funding Source:
    U.S. National Science Foundation
  • 2015
    Urban Water Innovation Network (U-WIN): Transitioning Toward Sustainable Water Systems
    Role:
    co-PI
    Funding Source:
    U.S. National Science Foundation

Professional Memberships

  • Ecological Society of America
  • Society for Freshwater Science