Rate My Professor Nick Haddad

Nick Haddad served as the William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences at North Carolina State University from 1999 to 2017, where he made significant contributions to the field of Biology through his research in conservation biology. He earned a BS in Biology from Stanford University in 1991 and a PhD in Ecology from the University of Georgia in 1997, followed by a postdoctoral position at the University of Minnesota from 1997 to 1999. During his tenure at North Carolina State University, Haddad held appointments in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Applied Ecology. He directed the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center and led graduate programs. His career also included sabbaticals at the University of California, Davis in 2006-2007 and at Stanford University in 2013-2014 and 2022-2023. Haddad's work focused on spatial population and community ecology, particularly the impacts of habitat fragmentation and the role of landscape corridors in maintaining biodiversity.

Haddad's research at North Carolina State University pioneered experimental approaches to understanding habitat fragmentation effects on ecosystems, including long-term studies at the Savannah River Site that demonstrated corridors enhance plant and animal diversity, dispersal, and interactions. Key publications include 'Habitat fragmentation and its lasting impact on Earth’s ecosystems' (Science Advances, 2015), which analyzed global data showing fragmentation reduces biodiversity by 13-75 percent, and 'Corridors affect plants, animals, and their interactions in fragmented landscapes' (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2002). He authored the book 'The Last Butterflies: A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature' (Princeton University Press, 2019), detailing conservation efforts for endangered butterflies like the St. Francis satyr at Fort Bragg. Haddad received the Ecological Society of America Fellowship in 2017 for his experimental tests of fragmentation and corridors, along with the Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellowship in 2008. His influence extends to practical conservation, including monitoring rare butterflies dependent on disturbances like fires and beaver activity, and developing resources like the Conservation Corridor portal. His highly cited work has shaped landscape conservation strategies worldwide.