FROSTBURG, MD (September 4, 2015) -- The Appalachian Laboratory (AL) in Frostburg is pleased to announce that two of its faculty members, Dr. Matthew C. Fitzpatrick and Dr. David M. Nelson, have been granted tenure and promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.Drs. Fitzpatrick and Nelson joined AL in 2009.
Dr. Fitzpatrick studies biological diversity, from genetic variation within species to groups of interacting species in forests, shrublands, and streams. His research often looks to the past to consider how organisms responded to changes in climate since the last ice age. Dr. Fitzpatrick then uses this knowledge to understand current ecological systems, and develop future predictions about biological diversity and the spread of species based on projected changes in climate. He previously served as a Research Associate at Harvard University and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Forest and University of Rhode Island. Dr. Fitzpatrick was conferred with his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee in 2008, his M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Montana in 2003, and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1997.
Dr. Nelson’s research uses chemical signatures called isotopes to study ecology in modern and ancient environments. Shortly after coming to AL, he established the Central Appalachians Stable Isotope Facility, a lab within AL that uses state-of-the-art equipment to measure isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen in samples of soils, plant and animal tissues, stream water, and air. Recently Dr. Nelson has used these and other research tools to study the movement and population dynamics of bats and eagles in Maryland and throughout North America. Previously he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Illinois and a Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Dr. Nelson received his Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2005, and his B.A. in Biology from Trinity Christian College in 2001.
Drs. Fitzpatrick and Nelson are working together and with other AL faculty on a multitude of projects related to Western Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and nationally. “We’re honored,” noted AL Director Dr. Eric A. Davidson, “to have world-class researchers like Matt and Dave as part of our faculty. Their work is transforming how we, and others around the globe, understand the long-term consequences of climate change and human impacts on the environment and how we can improve management of our natural resources for the benefit of humanity.”