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2026 Candidate Justin Kitzes

Justin Kitzes (CV)
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh

Candidate for: Member of the Governing Board

Justin Kitzes is an Associate Professor and Marianna Brown Dietrich Breakthrough Scholar in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on the use of automated sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) models to study biodiversity at large spatial and temporal scales, with a particular expertise in the development and application of terrestrial bioacoustic methods. Along with many collaborating groups, his lab has deployed thousands of acoustic recorders across multiple field sites to study the ecology and conservation of rare and hard-to-detect birds, frogs, bats, and other sound-producing taxa. His recent teaching includes undergraduate and graduate classes in biostatistics, scientific writing, and scientific communication.

Outside of research and teaching, Dr. Kitzes is the incoming Associate Chair of his department and the Associate Director of AI for Science in the Hub for AI and Data Science Leadership (HAIL), the University of Pittsburgh’s campus-wide AI initiative. He is a co-PI and biodiversity research lead for the NSF and NSERC funded AI and Biodiversity Change (ABC) Global Center and currently serves on the editorial board for Ecosphere and Scientific Reports. He became a member of ESA as a graduate student in 2011 and, along with his lab members, has organized multiple workshops, symposia, and organized sessions at ESA annual meetings.

Dr. Kitzes was trained as an interdisciplinary quantitative ecologist, receiving his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Earth Systems from Stanford University and his Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from the University of California Berkeley. He completed his postdoctoral studies in the Energy and Resources Group and the Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) at UC Berkeley and served as the manager of the Research and Standards program at the non-profit Global Footprint Network.

What Interests, Experience or Skills Would You Bring to This Position?

The primary interests and skills that I would bring to the governing board lie in interdisciplinary science, academic and research leadership, and the application of ecological science beyond academic settings. In my training and academic positions, I have worked on ocean science, ecological economics, sustainability science, conservation biology, theoretical ecology, data science, and applied AI. This breadth of experience has helped me to appreciate the breadth of interests and needs across ESA’s community. I also have held several leadership and committee positions that have given me experience that would contribute to ESA’s governing board, including as a member of the board of the Academic Data Science Alliance (ADSA), a member of two technical working groups at the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), an Associate Director of a university-wide AI initiative, and the incoming Associate Chair of the Biological Sciences department at my university. Finally, beyond my academic research and teaching, I have been involved in many collaborative conservation and restoration projects nationally and internationally, giving me perspective on the ways in which ecological science can play a role in supporting management and policy decisions.

How Would You Support ESA’s Mission?

I believe strongly in the importance of advancing the science and practice of ecology, as well as supporting ecologists themselves. Specifically, as both a field ecologist and a developer of data science and AI methods, I believe that I have a unique perspective on the ways in which AI is changing the landscape of scientific research, higher education, and non-academic employment. One of my interests on the governing board would be identifying ways to position ESA and its members for success in a world where AI is increasingly ubiquitous within and outside our discipline. Specific ideas include:

(1) Providing more training opportunities, particularly for early career ecologists, on the responsible and effective use of AI tools as a complement to human knowledge, skills, and creativity.

(2) Growing connections and crossovers between ecologists and the computer science and engineering communities, who are increasingly enthusiastic about working on impactful questions in biodiversity science. Ecologists can play a critical role in directing this enthusiasm with our deep expertise in systems, taxa, and methods.

(3) Promoting open, active, and frequent discussions of shifts in the funding, educational, and employment landscapes around us, with the goal of identifying strategic and proactive responses for ESA.