Curtice Griffin

Curtice Griffin is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, within the College of Natural Sciences. His research and teaching focus on biodiversity conservation, wetland wildlife ecology, and integrated natural resource management, with a strong emphasis on applied science to inform conservation decisions. He collaborates with federal, state, and international agencies and NGOs, conducting field research across five continents, including work on elephants in Africa and Southeast Asia, and sea turtles and whale sharks in the Caribbean.

His research interests include climate change impacts on wildlife, offshore wind energy effects, elephant ecology, whale shark behavior, and ecotourism. He actively contributes to policy development for wetlands protection, endangered species management, and biodiversity conservation. His recent publications highlight advanced methods in habitat modeling, telemetry, and population monitoring, reflecting a strong trend in quantitative conservation ecology and wildlife management.

• PI, $469,000 – Mechanisms for species responses to climate change (USGS)
• Co-PI, $358,000 – REU Site: Offshore wind energy (NSF)
• Co-PI, $7.5M – Northeast Climate Science Center (U.S. Dept. of Interior)
• Co-PI, $3.2M – IGERT Offshore Wind Energy (NSF)

He mentors several graduate students, including PhD candidates and MS students, on topics such as piping plovers, marbled salamanders, grey crowned cranes, and bald eagle movement. He is also involved in conservation policy and has led initiatives to protect wetlands and endangered species at multiple governance levels. His lab and research team operate in diverse ecosystems, from Massachusetts wetlands to African savannas and Southeast Asian rainforests, demonstrating a global conservation footprint.