- Biology Department
- Pre-Health Advisory Committee
- GIS Center
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Museum of the Earth Sciences
- Mathematics and Statistics
- REALISE
- Chemistry Department
- Radford University Planetarium
- Department of Physics
- Anthropological Sciences
- Geology
- Selu Observatory
- Center for Information Security
- Forensic Science Institute
- Biomedical Science
- Geospatial Science
- School of Computing and Information Sciences
- MS in Data And Information Management
Dr. Christine Small
Professor, Interim Chair
Office: 281 Center for the Sciences
Lab: 168 Center for the Sciences
Box 6931, Radford University
Radford, VA 24142-6939, U.S.A.
Tel:(540) 831-5146
E-mail: cjsmall@radford.edu
Courses Taught
- BIOL 103 - Environmental Biology
- BIOL 104 - Human Biology
- BIOL 160 - Freshman Seminar in Biology
- BIOL 131 - Ecology and Adaptation
- BIOL 217 - Flora of Virginia
- BIOL 232 - Organismal Biology
- BIOL 460 - Senior Biology Seminar - Communicating Science
- BIOL 476 - Forest and Wetland Ecology
- BIOL 489 - Field Biology and Phenology
- BIOL 491 - Directed Study and Research
About
My research focuses on forest ecology, conservation, and management, and the cultural dimensions that shape human relationships to natural landscapes. Since 2007, I have partnered with the U.S. Forest Service, American Herbal Products Association, and Appalachian Sustainable Development on forest products research, studying ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, and other medicinal forest herbs connecting Appalachian ecosystems and culture to world-wide economic markets.
Our research group also works to understand & mitigate some of today’s most pressing threats to forested ecosystems, including:
- Conservation and sustainable management of Appalachian medicinal forest herbs
- Invasive plants, insects, and forest disease
- Forest restoration on mountaintop removal coal mining sites
- White-tailed deer-herbivory and forest regeneration
- Land-use history, altered fire regimes, and biodiversity loss
- Seasonal influences of climate change with USA National Phenology Network
Many of these projects have been incorporated into course-based undergraduate research. See the following student-designed project websites for highlights:
- Forest Health Assessment of Wildwood Park, Radford, Virginia (BIOL 476: Forest & Wetland Ecology): https://ruwildwood.weebly.com/
- Radford Phenology Monitoring Program (BIOL 481: Field Biology & Phenology): https://radfordphenology.weebly.com/
More than 100 undergraduate students have collaborated on field research and professional presentations related to these projects. Students interested in forest ecology and conservation projects are welcome to contact me about current projects & opportunities!