Dr. Maile C Neel is a Professor in the Department of Entomology and affiliated with the Plant Science & Landscape Architecture program at the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds dual appointments under the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Her research focuses on understanding biodiversity patterns and ecological-evolutionary processes, with an emphasis on applying this knowledge to conservation strategies and managing environmental changes. She integrates methods from systematics, population genetics, and landscape ecology to address conservation challenges across scales. Dr. Neel earned a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of California, Riverside (2000), an M.A. in Biology from UC Santa Barbara (1994), and a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Humboldt State University (1985). Her work bridges science, policy, and practice, training students and researchers to address real-world conservation issues. Key research interests include testing assumptions in conservation biology, quantifying genetic diversity in species like Vallisneria americana , and evaluating restoration strategies. She has published extensively on topics such as habitat fragmentation, population connectivity, and endangered species recovery. Awards include the Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award (2020) and the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship (2001–2003). Dr. Neel collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and contributes to initiatives like the Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences (MEES) program. Her teaching includes courses on ecological data analysis and restoration ecology.
