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Patricia Szczys

Executive Director
Institute for Sustainability
Biography

Patty has led sustainability efforts at Eastern Connecticut State University serving as the Executive Director of the Institute of Sustainability since 2022. She chairs the Green Campus Committee, facilitates faculty development to integrate sustainability across the curriculum, supervises undergraduate student interns, and collaborates with community partners to address climate change, environmental stewardship, and clean energy. Patty earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Biology from the University of Massachusetts, maintains an active research program focused on endangered and threatened waterbirds, and is a long-time member of the Waterbird Society, currently serving as immediate Past- President and mentoring young scientists.

Research Interests
  • Population Genetics
  • Waterbird Ecology and Evolution
Of Note

Dr. Szczys has been recognized for excellence in mentoring student research. She is proud to have mentored Eastern's first Goldwater Scholar (2018).

Teaching Interests
  • General Genetics
  • Tropical Biology
  • Conservation Biology
Publications

Shepard, N.G., Szczys, P., Moore, D.J., Reudink, M.W., Costa, J.N., Jahn, A.E. and McKellar, A.E. 2023 Weak genetic structure, shared nonbreeding areas, and extensive movement in a declining waterbird. Ornithological Applications 125: 1-14 https://academic.oup.com/  Layperson blog post: https://americanornithology.org/

Arnold, J.M., Oswald, S., Wilson, S. and Szczys, P. 2022 Understanding widespread declines for Common Terns across inland Canada: Productivity estimates, causes of reproductive failure, and movement of Common Terns breeding in the large lakes of Manitoba. Avian Conservation and Ecology 17(1): 14 https://www.ace-eco.org/vol17/iss1/art14/ 

Ledwon, M. and Szczys, P.  2021 Extra-pair paternity in a species with frequent extra-pair courtship feedings, few extra-pair copulations, and male-biased parental care. Journal of Ornithology 163: 437-444 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-021-01954-1 

Dayton*, J.  and Szczys, P.  2021 Metapopulation connectivity mitigates permanent loss of historical genetic diversity in a federally endangered seabird. Ornithology Applications 123(4): 1-17 https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duab037 

Szczys, P, Oswald, S. and Arnold, J.M. 2017 Conservation implications of long-distance migration routes: regional metapopulation structure, asymmetrical dispersal, and population declines. Biological Conservation. 209: 263-272 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.02.012 

Dayton*, J., Ledwon, M, Paillisson, J.M., Atamas, N., and Szczys, P. 2017. Population Structure of the Eurasian Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida), a species exhibiting range expansion. Waterbirds. 40(2): 105-117 https://doi.org/10.1675/063.040.0203 

Szczys, P., Lamothe*, K., Druzyaka, A., Poot, M., Siokhin, V., and van der Winden, J. 2017. Range-wide patterns of population differentiation of Eurasian black terns (Chlidonias niger niger) related to use of discrete staging sites. Journal of Ornithology 158(2): 365-378 https://doi.org/10.1675/063.040.0203 

Mostello, C., LaFlamme, D., and Szczys, P. 2016 Common Tern and Arctic Tern hybridization produces fertile offspring. Seabird 29: 39-65 http://www.seabirdgroup.org.uk/seabird-29-39 

Nisbet, I., Monticelli, D., and Szczys, P. 2016 Pre-breeding Survival of Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii varies by sex, hatching order, and hatching date. Ibis 158: 327-334 https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12359

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