Biography and education
Dr. Clay Green is the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Research in The Graduate College and Professor of Biology in the Department of Biology.
In his Associate Dean position, Dr. Green works collaboratively with stakeholders across campus on specific strategic initiatives related to priority areas identified in Hopes & Aspirations High, President Damphousse’s vision for Texas State. Dr. Green is involved in on-boarding for newly-approved doctoral programs, identifying and addressing needs in order to improve student success in research-based degree programs, and developing and implementing mentoring training (GradMENTOR) for graduate faculty. He will also engage in research activities on graduate education and explore external funding for said research.
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.
In his Associate Dean position, Dr. Green works collaboratively with stakeholders across campus on specific strategic initiatives related to priority areas identified in Hopes & Aspirations High, President Damphousse’s vision for Texas State. Dr. Green is involved in on-boarding for newly-approved doctoral programs, identifying and addressing needs in order to improve student success in research-based degree programs, and developing and implementing mentoring training (GradMENTOR) for graduate faculty. He will also engage in research activities on graduate education and explore external funding for said research.
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.
Featured grants
- Green, Michael Clay (Principal), Percent Contribution: %50, Veech, Joseph A (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %50. Identification and evaluation of non-traditional inland wintering habitat for Whooping Cranes in Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife, State, $157301. (Submitted: January 2022, Funded: August 2022 - December 2024). Grant.
- Jensen, Jennifer (Co-Principal), Green, Michael Clay (Principal), Hardy, Thomas (Co-Principal). Developing a process and conservation application for Landscape Conservation Design for the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative., Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $200000. (Funded: April 2017 - October 2018). Grant.
- Green, Michael Clay (Co-Principal), Weckerly, Butch (Principal). Texas Comptroller of Public Account: RFP No. 209g for Endangered Species Research Projects for the Black Rail, Texas State University, $199462. (Funded: 2014 - 2016). Grant.
- Green, Michael Clay (Co-Principal), Baccus, John (Co-Principal), Simpson, Randy (Co-Principal). Using Technology to Study Phenomena and Conduct Monitoring of Avian Populations, Associate Vice President for Research, Texas State University, $60000. (Funded: 2009). Grant.
- Green, Michael Clay (Co-Principal), Forstner, M.R.J. (Principal), Fonstad, M. (Co-Principal). Texas Department of Transportation, GIS model assessment of the Houston toad for areas of scheduled bridge replacements, Texas State University, $46423. (Funded: 2008). Grant.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Acharja, I. P., Okahisa, Y., Green, M. C., Lhendup, T., Tshering, S., Phuntsho, T., … Leki, S. (2025). Investigations of effective conservation measures for the critically endangered White-bellied Heron using an integrated population model and Bayesian population viability analysis. Avian Conservation and Ecology, 20(1). Retrieved from https://ace-eco.org/vol20/iss1/art19/
- Ryan, J. H., Green, M. C., & Gocha, T. P. (2025). Red-tailed hawk competition and consumption of human carrion during Winter Storm Uri in Central Texas. Journal of Raptor Research, 59. https://doi.org/10.3356/jrr2439
- Green, M. C., Sirsi, S., Halstead, B., Morrison, M. L., Rodriguez, D., & Forstner, M. R. (2025). Comparing the utility of capture-mark-recapture, telemetry, and genetic data in assessing population-level dispersal. Diversity, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/d17030163
- Mulhall, B. M., Green, M. C., & Giocomo, J. (2025). Black-capped Vireos increase use of juniper as nest subtrate during drought. Southwestern Naturalist, 68(4), 285–293. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909-68.4.5
- Green, M. C. (2023). Review of Waders of the Indian Subcontinent. Waterbirds.
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alfred H. Nolle Chapter of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. 2022
- Award / Honor Recipient: Distinguished Alumnus Award, Boy Scout Troop 285. 2020
- Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alfred H. Nolle Chapter of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. 2014
- Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alfred H. Nolle Chapter of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. 2013
- Award / Honor Recipient: Student Leader of the Year, Sul Ross State University. 1997 - 1998
Featured service activities
- Other
Boy Scout Troop 112
- Chair
United Methodist Men
- Chair
Heron Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature
- Member
Director of School of Health Administration Search Committee
- Other
Presidential Fellow
- Member
Task Force, Organizational Review of the College of Science and Engineering