Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor

School of Natural Resources

Zalesny studies genetic and physiological mechanisms regulating biomass production of short rotation woody crops (e.g., poplars and willows) grown for phytotechnologies, bioenergy and fiber. The provision of ecosystem services associated with these end uses is tightly linked with increasing human population levels at regional, national and global scales, resulting in the need for such services along the urban to rural continuum that balance community well-being with ecological health and stability. To address this need, Zalesny is advancing short rotation woody crop production systems for pollution remediation and renewable energy. He develops phytoremediation and other phytotechnologies for ecosystem recovery, remediation, and restoration along the urban to rural continuum, and he refines silvicultural methods to provide ecosystem services such as optimal biomass productivity of hybrid poplar and willow across variable site and climate conditions.

Educational background

• Ph.D., 2003, Iowa State University