Dr. Heather Bowman Cutway

Education

• B.S., Environmental Science, Slippery Rock University
• Ph.D., Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers University

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Biology I (BIO 211)
• Introduction to Environmental Science (ENB 150)
• Plant Biology (BIO 302)
• Principles of Ecology (BIO 370)
• Urban Ecosystems (BIO 381)
• Conservation Biology (BIO 480)
• University 101 (UNV 101)

Specialty

Plant ecology, invasive species, plant dispersal, urban ecology, restoration

Research Interest

My main area of research interest is in plant ecology. In the past, I focused on the role of urban development in the establishment of invasive plant species. In Georgia, I spent 10 years studying the restoration of native plant populations through invasive species removal at the Ocmulgee National Monument. More recently, my focus has shifted to understanding the population ecology of a federally endangered plant, Silene catesbaei (fringed campion). This plant is found in only a few counties in middle Georgia and at the Georgia/Florida border. I am monitoring this plant to understand its population dynamics, why seed production is limited, and whether its numbers can be increased through reintroduction within its historic range.

Contact Dr. Heather Bowman Cutway

(478) 301-2495
cutway_hb@mercer.edu