Colin Beier

Colin Beier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sustainable Resources Management at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). His research focuses on forest ecosystems, climate change impacts, and land use policy, with a strong emphasis on the Adirondack region. He holds a Ph.D. in Systems Ecology (University of Alaska-Fairbanks, 2007), an M.Sc. in Forest Ecology (Virginia Tech, 2002), and a B.Sc. in Biology (Virginia Commonwealth University, 1999).

Research Interests: Beier’s work integrates ecological and social dimensions, addressing topics such as forest ecosystem resilience, climate adaptation, and policy-driven land use changes. He develops geoinformatics tools (e.g., web-mapping applications like the New York Climate Change Science Clearinghouse) to support decision-making. Current projects include virtual reality for environmental education and participatory GIS for recreation planning in the Adirondacks.

Grants & Projects: Recent funding includes a $750,000 project on climate change science integration and a $642,000 initiative to merge Indigenous and scientific knowledge for sustainability. His work spans ecosystem service valuation (e.g., the Forest Ecosystem Services Toolkit) and long-term monitoring of forest and aquatic systems.

Advising: Beier mentors graduate students in Environmental Science and Forest Resources Management, focusing on interdisciplinary research. Current advisees include Asha Hotaling, Amelia Jelic, and Laurel Williams.

Labs & Teams: He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on projects such as the Adirondack Long-Term Monitoring Program and the ARGIS web mapping platform. His lab applies cutting-edge remote sensing and geospatial technologies to ecological challenges.