Paige Warren

Paige Warren is a Professor and Department Head in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she leads the Warren Ecology Lab. Her research spans urban ecology, conservation biology, and socio-ecological systems, focusing on how urbanization impacts biodiversity across species, communities, and landscapes. She is affiliated with major research networks including the NSF-funded Central Arizona–Phoenix LTER and Baltimore Ecosystem Study LTER.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. She teaches key courses such as ECO 622 (Urban Ecology & Evolution), NRC 564 (Wildlife Habitat Management), and ECO 622 (Conservation Biology), shaping the next generation of ecologists and conservationists.

Dr. Warren’s research examines the interplay between human socioeconomic factors and ecological patterns in cities, with a focus on bird communities, urban greening, vacant land management, and evolutionary responses. Her lab investigates how behavior, values, and resource use shape wildlife distributions in urban environments.

Her recent publications reveal strong trends in urban biodiversity loss, socioeconomic inequities in green space access, and the functional and phylogenetic consequences of urbanization. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating ecological data with social science to inform equitable urban planning and conservation.

• AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship (mentored student Aaron Grade)
• Eagle Hill Undergraduate Student Poster Award (mentored student Fanny Riand)

Dr. Warren actively advises students at all levels, from undergraduates like Kallin Lang and Lohitha Madhireddy to graduate researchers such as Aaron Grade and Sebastian Moreno. Her lab is supported by grants from the NSF and USDA, including projects on urban greening (BMA ULTRA-Ex) and socio-ecological dynamics in Phoenix and Baltimore. She is a co-author on influential syntheses like Urban Bird Ecology and Conservation and has contributed to citizen science and environmental justice initiatives.

The Warren Ecology Lab conducts field studies on species such as House Wrens and Wood Thrush, examining nest parasitism, habitat use, and human-wildlife interactions. The lab collaborates with institutions like the USDA Forest Service and universities nationwide, maintaining a strong presence in urban ecological research.