Biography
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Dr. Dayton Starnes is an environmental anthropologist dedicated to applying interdisciplinary research and evidence-based knowledge to solution-oriented environmental advocacy and conservation actions that prioritize human and ecological equity. Dayton earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in Environmental Anthropology from the University of Kentucky, and a B.S. in Anthropology with a double-major in English from Kennesaw State University. In addition to his doctoral research, while at the University of Kentucky Dayton also held positions as an Instructor for undergraduate environmental and cultural anthropology courses.
As an applied critical social scientist working in the environmental and conservation space, Dayton brings a commitment to equitable and just engagement into all facets of his work. Recognizing that the empowerment and well-being of human communities is integral to healthy environmental futures, and vice versa. This manifests in his commitment to the rights and sovereignty of indigenous peoples, the intentional incorporation of residents and local communities in environmental decision making, and to prioritizing understandings of systems of marginalization that contribute to issues of access/alienation around land, resources, and well-being.
Undertaken internationally and domestically, Dayton's research contributes to greater understandings of the socio-environmental politics that shape contemporary species-level and landscape-scale conservation actions. Which ultimately helps inform more successful environmental and conservation actions. As a broadly trained environmental scientist and socio-cultural anthropologist, in his research, Dayton employs participatory ethnographic data collection methods while working within environmental organizations and alongside conservationists in the field. His work is notable for its concentrated ethnographic attention devoted to understanding the organizations, scientists, and practitioners who are responsible for shaping all aspects of conservation activities. This research is actively synthesized with his foundational professional commitments to just engagement with diverse social and cultural groups, and honoring their relations to the environment.
In the context of climate change, ecological change, and biodiversity declines, Dayton's work also explores the increasingly prevalent approaches employed by conservation scientists to intervene in extinction events (e.g. reintroductions, translocations, re-wilding, proxy-species, & assisted migrations).
Outside of his work, Dayton spends much of his free time hiking, backpacking, reading, or working with plants. He has a past professional life as a Veterinary Technician and has also spent much of his life performing with classical choral ensembles.
As an applied critical social scientist working in the environmental and conservation space, Dayton brings a commitment to equitable and just engagement into all facets of his work. Recognizing that the empowerment and well-being of human communities is integral to healthy environmental futures, and vice versa. This manifests in his commitment to the rights and sovereignty of indigenous peoples, the intentional incorporation of residents and local communities in environmental decision making, and to prioritizing understandings of systems of marginalization that contribute to issues of access/alienation around land, resources, and well-being.
Undertaken internationally and domestically, Dayton's research contributes to greater understandings of the socio-environmental politics that shape contemporary species-level and landscape-scale conservation actions. Which ultimately helps inform more successful environmental and conservation actions. As a broadly trained environmental scientist and socio-cultural anthropologist, in his research, Dayton employs participatory ethnographic data collection methods while working within environmental organizations and alongside conservationists in the field. His work is notable for its concentrated ethnographic attention devoted to understanding the organizations, scientists, and practitioners who are responsible for shaping all aspects of conservation activities. This research is actively synthesized with his foundational professional commitments to just engagement with diverse social and cultural groups, and honoring their relations to the environment.
In the context of climate change, ecological change, and biodiversity declines, Dayton's work also explores the increasingly prevalent approaches employed by conservation scientists to intervene in extinction events (e.g. reintroductions, translocations, re-wilding, proxy-species, & assisted migrations).
Outside of his work, Dayton spends much of his free time hiking, backpacking, reading, or working with plants. He has a past professional life as a Veterinary Technician and has also spent much of his life performing with classical choral ensembles.