Biography of Kevin Potter
Kevin Potter is a landscape ecologist and population geneticist who applies evolutionary ecology tools and concepts to better understand the response of tree species and communities to forest health threats. He previously held a Research Professor position in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University (NCSU), serving as a joint venture cooperator with the Eastern Threat Center. Potter also served as Assessment Program Manager in the Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Research office of the USDA Forest Service in Washington, DC. Before joining the faculty at NCSU, he was a postdoctoral fellow with the Camcore International Tree Conservation and Domestication program at NCSU, conducting population genetic analyses on imperiled eastern North American hemlock (Tsuga) species and Central American pines. He earned a Ph.D in forestry (2006) and M.S. in natural resources (2002) from NCSU. His doctoral work focused on the population genetics and gene conservation of Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), and his master's work analyzed the impact of land cover changes on macrobenthic invertebrate communities in North Carolina streams. He received his B.A. degree in journalism in 1993 from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and he spent four and a half years as a reporter for daily newspapers in Indiana, Iowa, and North Carolina. From 1997 to 2001, he worked in the News Services office at NCSU. He is a native of Denver, Colorado.
Learn more about Kevin Potter's work:
Assessing genetic variation of forest tree species at risk
Developing indicators of forest biodiversity and ecosystem function across broad regions
Prioritizing tree species for conservation and management in changing times
Quantifying large-scale patterns of forest fire occurrence
Contact Kevin Potter at kevin.potter@usda.gov.
