Matthew A Whalen
Dr. Matt Whalen completed a master of science degree from the College of William & Mary’s School of Marine Science and a doctor of philosophy degree in ecology from University of California, Davis. Matt spent five years as a research fellow with the University of British Columbia and the Hakai Institute in Canada before returning to Virginia in 2023 to begin a tenure-track assistant professor position in the Department of Biology at Virginia State University. Matt is interested in the causes and consequences of biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth – and how variation in environmental conditions set the stage for ecological processes that determine the benefits of biodiversity in the natural world. Matt’s research with students focuses on the ecology of connected river networks and how these ecosystems respond to environmental change. Matt integrates this research into his courses through experiential learning and research opportunities, and his ecological research motivates his approach to community outreach and citizen science efforts in the Petersburg area.