Faculty Profiles

Dr. Clay Green is the Interim Dean in The Graduate College and Professor of Biology in the Department of Biology.

As Interim Dean of The Graduate College, Dr. Green provides leadership for graduate education across Texas State University, supporting master’s and doctoral programs in San Marcos, Round Rock, and online. He works collaboratively with academic colleges, departments, faculty, staff, and university leadership to advance graduate education and strategic priorities identified in Hopes & Aspirations High, President Damphousse’s vision for Texas State.

In this role, Dr. Green provides leadership and oversight for graduate student recruitment, admissions, enrollment, retention, academic progress, degree completion, and student success. He works with programs in the development and implementation of graduate curricula and policies; supports the review, approval, and onboarding of new graduate and doctoral programs; and collaborates with faculty and academic leaders to strengthen the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of graduate education.

Dr. Green leads initiatives to enhance the graduate student experience and the professional development of graduate faculty and students, including addressing barriers to student success, implementing faculty mentoring initiatives such as GradMENTOR, supporting graduate student professional development and career preparation such as GradMENTEE, and promoting effective mentoring and advising practices. As Interim Dean, he also provides leadership for Graduate College operations, personnel, scholarships and fellowships, faculty development, recruitment and retention, and partnerships that strengthen graduate education and enrollment, while collaborating with university leaders and campus stakeholders on priorities related to student success, doctoral education, research growth, Round Rock, and Texas State’s pursuit of R1 status. He also maintains an active interest in research on graduate education and student success and seeks external funding to support research and innovation in graduate education.

Dr. Green earned his Ph.D. in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, a Master of Science in Range and Wildlife Management from Sul Ross State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Soviet and East European Studies from University of Texas at Austin. After having served as a Visiting Scientist with the U.S.G.S National Wetlands Research Center, he joined Texas State University in the Department of Biology in 2005, was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2011, and was promoted to professor in 2016. In addition, Dr. Green has served as director for the Ph.D. in Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology program (2013-2023) and as chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (2015-2023). He also is past president of the Waterbird Society and currently serves as Chair, Heron Specialist Group for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission. In 2022, he retired as Captain, U.S. Navy, after 30 years of service in the armed forces.

Dr. Green’s research focuses on the ecology and conservation of birds with an emphasis on threatened and endangered waterbirds including North America’s rarest heron, the Reddish Egret, and the world’s rarest heron, the White-bellied Heron. He has a distinguished record of grant-funded research. He also has more than 60 refereed publications to his name, many of which have been co-published with students, as well as many technical reports and conservation action plans. He has served as research advisor for 31 doctoral and master’s students and served as a member on an additional 68 thesis and dissertation committees. His students are productive scholars in their own right, publishing their dissertation and thesis research in peer reviewed journals.