Clayton Whitesides

Clayton Whitesides is an Associate Dean for the Spadoni College of Education and Social Sciences and Professor of Geography at Coastal Carolina University since 2013. He specializes in physical and environmental geography, focusing on mountain environments, biogeomorphology, and invasive species. Prior roles include cartographer for America’s Byways program.

Education:

• Ph.D., Texas State University
• M.S., Brigham Young University
• B.S., Utah State University

Research Interests: Dr. Whitesides examines mountain ecosystems, animal-soil interactions (zoogeomorphology), vegetation dynamics, and invasive species impacts. His work integrates field studies in the American West and Southeast, with notable contributions to understanding bioturbation processes in alpine and subalpine environments.

Publications Overview: Recent works (2021–2022) highlight interdisciplinary approaches to geography education and artificial reef policy analysis. Earlier studies (2011–2016) focus on treeline dynamics, fire ant ecology, and snow cover modeling. His research spans geomorphology, animal behavior, and environmental policy.

Labs/Teams: No specific lab or team affiliations are noted in the provided text.