DR. MATTHEW MCCARY
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    • Landscape Fragmentation
    • Invasive Plants
    • Ecosystem Linkages
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Dr. Matthew A. McCary
Assistant Professor
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Research Faculty
Department of BioSciences
Rice University
 
My research examines the fundamental drivers and constraints of soil biodiversity, specifically how diversity relates to food web dynamics, community and ecosystem responses to environmental disturbances, and the feedback loops between food webs and ecosystem functioning. There are three major questions I investigate: (1) What are the impacts of fragmentation on ecosystem and community processes?
(2) How do invasive species change soil biodiversity and associated ecosystem health? (3) How does ecosystem structure affect food web responses to changes in resource availability? To address these questions, I use an integrative approach that includes observational and experimental studies, ecological modeling, meta-analyses, and molecular techniques.

Education and Background
B.A. Biology. North Central College, 2010
Ph.D. Biology, focus in Ecology and Evolution. University of Illinois-Chicago, 2016
 
Awards and Honors
National Academies of Sciences Ford Foundation Fellowship ($50,000), Yale University, 2020
NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology ($207,000), UW-Madison, 2017-2019
Dean’s Scholar Graduate Fellowship ($22,000), UI-Chicago, 2016 
Institute for Environmental Science and Policy Fellowship ($10,000), UI-Chicago, 2015-2016 
Award for Excellence in Teaching ($100), UI-Chicago, 2014-2015             
Elmer Hadley Graduate Research Award ($600), UI-Chicago, 2014                                     
Abraham Lincoln Graduate Fellowship ($25,000), UI-Chicago, 2013-2014 
Tracy and Derrick Malone Scholarship ($5,000), NCC, 2008-2009                        
Associated Colleges of Illinois Liberal Arts Scholarship ($12,000), NCC, 2006-2010    
 
Personal Interests
Chess, fitness training, movies, reading.

Links
Google Scholar
CV


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  • Home
  • About Me
  • Research
    • Landscape Fragmentation
    • Invasive Plants
    • Ecosystem Linkages
  • Join the Lab