About

I am an urban ecologist who works at the interface of science and practice. As a research ecologist, teacher, and land manager, I engage with urban practitioners and integrate research into the planning, design, and management of our cities. My current research focuses on plant community dynamics and management strategies in urban greenspaces. From remnant forest fragments to green infrastructure, I am interested in how the ecological mechanisms and successional trajectories of these systems may be altered and how we may better facilitate and sustain their ecological health and function.

Currently I am a postdoc research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service and work out the Amherst and Philadelphia field stations. I received my PhD in Ecology & Evolution from Rutgers University, where I was land manager of the Hutcheson Memorial Forest Center, a National Natural Landmark and conservation research facility. I conducted my dissertation research with Dr. Steven Handel and Dr. Myla Aronson’s lab at the Center for Urban Restoration Ecology and I was a fellow at the Center for Resilient Landscapes. See my full C.V.

Please feel free to contact me at: max.r.l.piana@gmail.com