Dr. Christopher Anderson has been appointed as Auburn’s new Charles D. McCrary Endowed Professor in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the advancement of innovative research, education and conservation solutions along the Gulf Coast.
The Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) has established the Charles D. McCrary Endowed Professorship and McCrary Postdoctoral Fellowship to advance interdisciplinary research, technological innovation and education in the fields of forestry, wildlife and natural resource management.
Created with support from the Charles D. McCrary Institute, the Charles D. McCrary Endowed Professorship will contribute to efforts that bring together cross-disciplinary faculty expertise and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to enhance research capacity, increase competitiveness for external funding and support conservation solutions across Alabama and beyond.
The CFWE has named Dr. Christopher Anderson, professor of coastal wetland ecology, as the inaugural Charles D. McCrary Endowed Professor in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the advancement of innovative research, education and conservation solutions along the Gulf Coast.
Anderson is an expert in wetland and riparian ecosystems, including coastal wetlands, stormwater and hydrologic impacts and the functional responses of natural systems to human disturbance. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science in Botany from the University of South Florida and a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University. During his 20-year academic career, Anderson has built an influential body of scholarship that has advanced understanding of the ecological impacts of environmental change, while bridging the gap between scientific discovery and evidence-based conservation and resource management decision-making.
Funds from the McCrary Institute will also support a postdoctoral fellowship created to foster innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and natural resource/environment management. Supervised and mentored by Anderson, the new McCrary Postdoctoral Fellow will collaborate with CFWE faculty members to provide analytical support, assist with competitive grant proposals and integrate AI-powered methodologies to increase the impact of environmental and natural resource-focused research.
“In my role as the Charles D. McCrary Endowed Professor, I will work closely with the McCrary Postdoctoral Fellow to leverage CFWE’s technological resources and diverse faculty expertise to expand our capacity for interdisciplinary research,” said Anderson. “The integration of science and emerging technologies will help us develop novel pathways for addressing today’s complex environmental and natural resource challenges, while enhancing student learning and faculty engagement across the spectrum of CFWE research.”
The McCrary Professorship reflects Anderson’s longstanding commitment to applied research, student education and collaboration. Through cross-disciplinary partnerships, his role will include accelerating innovation at the intersection of natural resource management and technology to strengthen Auburn’s research enterprise, promote faculty development and prepare students to thrive in an increasingly dynamic and tech-driven natural resource profession.
“By encouraging collaboration, supporting cutting-edge research and strengthening educational opportunities, this professorship will help position Auburn to address the environmental challenges of the future,” said Janaki Alavalapati, the Emmett F. Thompson Dean of the CFWE. “With Dr. Anderson’s leadership, we will expand the college’s mission of developing science-based solutions that benefit natural resources and the communities that depend on them. His appointment reflects both his accomplishments as an academic leader and the college’s continued investment in research, innovation and conservation impact.”
Applications for the two-year McCrary Postdoctoral Fellowship are now being accepted online.
