Dwayne Estes

Dwayne Estes is a Full Professor of Biology at Austin Peay State University (APSU). He holds dual leadership roles as Principal Investigator for the Center of Excellence for Field Biology and Executive Director/co-founder of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI), which has secured over $5 million in funding and employs 20+ staff under his guidance.

His research specializes in:

• Grassland conservation and restoration
• Plant diversity and discovery of new species
• Historical ecology of the Southeastern U.S.
• Biogeography and natural history documentation

His publication record includes 20+ works spanning plant taxonomy, conservation biology, and floristic studies. Recent articles (2021) focus on improving species assessments for endangered grassland ecosystems. He co-authored the comprehensive Guide to the Vascular Plants of Tennessee (2015).

He teaches courses in Botanical Diversity and Plant Ecology, actively mentors graduate students, and has secured multiple NSF grants. Through SGI, he coordinates large-scale conservation partnerships across government, private, and academic sectors.