Elizabeth Hunter

Elizabeth Hunter is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment, serving as Assistant Unit Leader for the Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia (2016), an M.S. from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (2012), and a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin (2006). Her research focuses on vertebrate conservation biology and landscape ecology, addressing global change impacts on at-risk species through integrated fieldwork and quantitative modeling.

Her key research areas include climate change adaptation strategies for species like gopher tortoises and Galapagos tortoises, ecosystem restoration via reintroduction programs, and multi-species conservation decision-making. Notable projects address salt marsh bird vulnerability to sea-level rise, habitat management for grassland birds, and climate-influenced tortoise population dynamics.

Her publications span conservation biology, ecological modeling, and translocation strategies, with recent work emphasizing translocation success metrics, climate-driven demographic shifts, and hybridization dynamics. She contributes to applied conservation through collaborations with federal agencies and non-profits, aiming to bridge ecological science with practical management solutions.