Curriculum Vitae

Below is a detailed overview of my professional background, including academic training, research experience, conservation leadership, science communication, and public engagement.

My career bridges scientific research, applied conservation planning, and public outreach, emphasizing the development of actionable tools to protect biodiversity and make conservation more inclusive and impactful.

[Download Full CV (PDF) ➔]

Professional Experience

2022 –            Conservation Biologist – Terwilliger Consulting Inc.

2020 –            Subject Editor – Avian Conservation and Ecology

2024 – 2025  Renewable Energy Biologist – United States Fish and Wildlife Service

2022 – 2024 NECASC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Massachusetts

2022 – 2024  ORISE Fellow, United States Geological Survey

2022 – 2024 Academic Editor, PLOS ONE

2019 – 2022  Research Scientist, University of Connecticut

2021 – 2022  Adjunct Professor, Hunter College

2021 – 2021  Director of Conservation & Science, New York City Audubon Society

2021 – 2021  Adjunct Professor, University of Connecticut

2019 – 2020  Undergraduate Program Leader and Research Specialist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

2017 – 2019  Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Connecticut

Education

2017 – Ph.D. (National Science Foundation Fellow), University of Connecticut, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

2010 – B.A. (Summa cum laude), University of Connecticut. Maj: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Goldwater National Scholar, University Scholar, Honors Scholar, Phi Beta Kappa)

Publications: For updated citation count, please check my Google Scholar page.

[39] Burgio, K.R., L.M. Cisneros, K.E. Davis, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, S.J. Presley, M.R. Willig, and F.A. Montaño-Centellas. 2025. Historical biogeography and current ecology influence Andean bird communities along an elevational gradient. Ornithology. DOI: 10.1093/ornithology/ukaf068

[38] Leese, B.E., A.L. Bond, F.A. Montaño-Centellas, M.D. Starking, and K.R. Burgio. 2025. Additional records of the extinct Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis). Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club. 145(4): 324-346. DOI: 10.25226/bboc.v145i4.2025.a1

[37] Burgio, K.R., C. B. van Rees, K. E. Block*, P. Pyle, M. A. Patten, M. F. Spreyer, and E. H. Bucher. 2025. Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (P.G. Rodewald and S.M. Billerman, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Retrieved from Birds of the World: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/monpar/1.1

[36] Collar, N., P. F. D. Boesman, and K.R. Burgio. 2025. Cliff Parakeet (Myiopsitta luchsi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Retrieved from Birds of the World: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/monpar2/1.0

[35] MacPherson, M.P., K.R. Burgio, M.G. DeSaix, B.G. Freeman, J. Herbert, R. Herman, V. Jirinec, J. Shonfield, D.L. Slager, C.B. van Rees, and J.E. Jankowski. 2025. An introduction to predictive distribution modeling for conservation to encourage novel perspectives. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. 48: e-0001, DOI: 10.32800/abc.2025.48.0001

[34] Burgio, K.R., H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, M.D. Starking, T. Rice, H. Siart, K. Cruz*, E. Murley*, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2024. Biological Responses to Climate Impacts of the Northeast Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need. In: DOI Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center Cooperator Report. DOI:/10.21429/t352-9q86

[33] Hess, R.A., O.A. Erickson, R.B. Cole, J.M. Isaacs, S. Alvarez-Clare, J. Arnold, A. Augustus-Wallace, J.C. Ayoob, A. Berkowitz, J. Branchaw, K.R. Burgio, et al. 2023. Virtually the same? Evaluating the effectiveness of remote undergraduate research experiences. Life Sciences Education. 22(2): DOI: 10.1187/cbe.22-01-0001

[32] Burgio, K.R., K.E. Davis, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, L.M. Cisneros, S.J. Presley, C.B. van Rees, and M.R. Willig. 2022. Integrating multiple dimensions of biodiversity to inform global parrot diversity. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. 45.2:189–202. DOI: 10.32800/ABC.2022.45.0189

[31] Capers, R., A. Oeldorf-Hirsch, R. Wyss, K.R. Burgio, and M.A. Rubega. 2022. What did they learn? Objective assessment tools show mixed effects of training on science communication behaviors. Frontiers in Communication. 6: DOI:10.3389/fcomm.2021.805630

[30] Erickson, O.A., R.B Cole, J.M. Isaacs, S. Alvarez-Clare, J. Arnold, A. Augustus-Wallace, J. Ayoob, A. Berkowitz, J. Branchaw, K.R. Burgio,et al. 2022.“How do we do this at a distance?!” A descriptive study of remote Research Experiences for Undergraduates sites during COVID19. Life Sciences Education. 21(1): 1-16. DOI: 10.1187/cbe.21-05-0125

[29] Burgio, K.R., C.J. Carlson, A.L. Bond, M.A. Rubega, and M.W. Tingley. 2021. The two extinctions of the Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis). Bird Conservation International. 1-8. DOI:10.1017/S0959270921000241

[28] Burgio, K.R. 2021.Night Parrot: Australia’s Most Elusive Bird. Ornithological Applications. 123: 1-2. DOI:10.1093/ornithapp/duaa070

[27] Rubega, M.A., K.R. Burgio, R.S. Capers, A.A.M. MacDonald, A. Oeldorf-Hirsch, and R. Wyss. 2021Assessment by audiences shows little effect of science communication training. Science Communication. 43(2):139-169. DOI:10.1177/1075547020971639

[26] Gravely, J.*, K.R. Burgio, and M.A. Rubega. 2020. A Method for Measuring the Thermal Insulation Value of Bird Feather Coats. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 160: e60981, DOI:10.3791/60981

[25] Burgio, K.R., L.M. Cisneros, K.E. Davis, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. In review. Dimensions of passerine biodiversity along a tropical elevational gradient: a nexus for historical biogeography and contemporary ecology. Preprint available: bioRxiv 842138. DOI: 10.1101/842138

[24] Burgio, K.R., C.M. MacKenzie, S.B. Borelle, S.K.M. Ernest, J.L. Gill, K.E. Ingeman, A. Teffer, and E.P. White. 2020. Ten Simple Rules for a Successful Remote Postdoc. PLoS Computational Biology. 16(5): e1007809. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007809

[23] Carlson, C.J., K.R. Burgio, T.A. Dallas, and W.M. Getz. 2019. The mathematics of extinction across scales: from populations to the biosphere. In: Kaper H., Roberts F. (eds) Mathematics of Planet Earth, vol 5. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-22044-0_9

[22] Kosman, E., K.R. Burgio, S.J. Presley, M.R. Willig, and S.M. Scheiner. 2019. Conservation prioritization based on trait-based metrics illustrated with global parrot distributions. Diversity and Distributions. 25: 1156–1165. DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12923

[21] Burgio, K.R., K.E. Davis, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, L.M. Cisneros, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. 2019. A complete phylogenetic supertree and trait database for all extant parrots. Data In Brief 24: 103882. DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2019.103882

[20] Bahlai, C. L.J. Bartlett, K.R. Burgio, A.M.V. Fournier, C.N. Keiser, T. Poisot, K. Stack Whitney. 2019. Open Science Isn’t Always Open to All Scientists. American Scientist 107: 78-83. DOI: 10.1511/2019.107.2.78

[19] Burgio, K.R. 2018. The mysterious and tragic story of America’s only native parrot, now extinct for 100 years. Washington Post (link)

[18] Bond, A.L., C.J. Carlson, and K.R. Burgio. 2018. Local extinction of insular avifauna on the most remote inhabited island in the world. Journal of OrnithologyDOI: 10.1007/s10336-018-1590-8

[17] Carlson, C.J., A.L. Bond, and K.R. Burgio. 2018. Re-evaluating sighting models, and moving beyond them, to test and contextualize the extinction of the thylacine. Conservation BiologyDOI: 10.1111/cobi.13187

[16] Burgio, K.R., C.J. Carlson, A.L. Bond. 2018. Georeferenced sighting and specimen occurrence data of the extinct Carolina Parakeet 1564 – 1944. Biodiversity Data Journal. 6: e25280. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.6.e25280

[15] Carlson, C.J., K.R. Burgio, T.A. Dallas, and A.L. Bond. 2018. spatExtinct: an R package for spatially-interpolated extinction date estimation from sighting data. Preprint available

[14] Carlson, C.J., A.L. Bond, and K.R. Burgio. 2018. Estimating the extinction date of the Thylacine accounting for unconfirmed sightings. Conservation Biology. 32: 477-483. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13037

[13] Carlson, C.J, K.R. Burgio, E.R. Dougherty, A.J. Phillips, V.M. Bueno, C.F. Clements, G. Castaldo, T. Dallas, C.A. Cizauskas, G. Cumming, J. Doña, N.C. Harris, R. Jovani, S. Mironov, O. Muellerklein, H.C. Proctor, and W.M. Getz. Parasite biodiversity faces extinction and redistribution in a changing climate. Science Advances. 3(9): e1602422 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602422

[12] Burgio, K.R., C.J. Carlson, and M.W. Tingley. 2017. Lazarus ecology: recovering the natural history of the extinct Carolina parakeet. Ecology & EvolutionDOI: 10.1002/ece3.3135

[11] Cizauskas, C.A., C.J. Carlson, K.R. Burgio, C.F. Clements, N.C. Harris, E.R. Dougherty, and A.J. Phillips. 2017. Parasite vulnerability to climate change: an evidence-based functional trait approach. Royal Society Open Science. 4: 160535. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160535

[10] Lopez, B.E., K.R. Burgio, M.B. Carlucci, K.A. Palmquist, A. Parada, V. Weinberger, and A.H. Hurlbert. 2016. A new framework for inferring community assembly processes using phylogenetic information, relevant traits and environmental gradients. One Ecosystem. 1: e9501. DOI: 10.3897/oneeco.1.e9501

[9] Brightsmith, D., K.R. Burgio, B.J. Hiller, K.E. Block, P. Pyle, and M.A. Patten. 2017. Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri). Birds of the World (P. Rodewald ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/yecpar

[8] Brightsmith, D., K.R. Burgio, B.J. Hiller, K.E. Block, P. Pyle, and M.A. Patten. 2017. White-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris versicolorus). Birds of the World (P. Rodewald ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/whwpar

[7] Carlson, C.J., O.C. Mullerklein, A.J. Phillips, K.R. Burgio, G. Castaldo, C.A. Cizauskas, G. Cumming, T.A. Dallas, J. Dona, Z. Miao, H. Proctor, H.S. Yoon, and W.M. Getz. 2017. The Parasite Extinction Assessment Red List (PEARL): an extensible, open-source, online biodiversity database for neglected invertebrates. Preprint available

[6] Burgio, K.R., C.R. van Rees, K.E. Block, M. Spreyer, and E.H. Bucher. 2016. Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) in Birds of the World (P. Rodewald ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. DOI: 10.2173/bna.322

[5] Dougherty, E.R., C.J. Carlson, V.M. Bueno, K.R. Burgio, C.A. Cizauskas, C.F. Clements, D.P. Seidel, and N.C. Harris. 2015. Paradigms for parasite conservation. Conservation BiologyDOI: 10.1111/cobi.12634

[4] Dreiss, L.M., K.R. Burgio, L.M. Cisneros, B.T. Klingbeil, B.D. Patterson, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. 2015. Multiple dimensions of biodiversity for rodents along an extensive tropical elevational gradient: taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic perspectives. Ecography38: 876–888.

[3] Burgio, K.R., M.A. Rubega, and D. Sustaita. 2014. Nest-building behavior of Monk Parakeets and insights into potential mechanisms for reducing damage to utility poles. PeerJ. 2:e601 DOI:10.7717/peerj.601

[2] Cisneros, L.M., K.R. Burgio, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, B.D. Patterson, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. 2014. Elevational variation of multiple dimensions of biodiversity in bats. Journal of Animal Ecology83: 1124–1136.

[1] Carlson, C.J., C.A. Cizuaskas, K.R. Burgio, C.F. Clements, and N.C. Harris. 2013. The more parasites, the better? Science342:1041.

Patents

Burgio, K.R. and M.A. Rubega. 2013. Monk Parakeet Utility Pole Exclusion Device. Provisional Patent # 61/842,608. USA. Filed: 7/3/2013.

R Packages

Burnett, J. and K.R. Burgio. 2021. `parrottraits`: an R package for interfacing with the Parrot Traits Database (url)

Research Grants, Awards, and Fellowships                                                                            

Career Total: $224,736

2021              ($55,000) FAO Schwarz Fellowship Grant Program (co-author)

2018              ($1100) American Ornithology Society Travel Award

2011 – 2016    ($121,000) National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow

2016               ($4671) Experiment crowdfunded project (co-PI w/G. Smith-Vidaurre)

2016               ($750) UConn Doctoral Student Travel Award

2016               ($125) American Ornithologists Union Travel Award

2016               ($2000) UConn Dissertation Fellowship

2016               ($840) UConn EEB Summer Support Grant

2015               ($500) UConn EEB Summer Support Grant

2014               ($2,850) UConn EEB Summer Support Grant

2013               ($500) UConn EEB Summer Support Grant

2013               ($17,000) UConn Faulty Large Grant (co-author, awarded to M. Rubega)

2013               ($375) George Clark Jr. Connecticut Natural History Museum Award

2010               ($150) Connecticut Natural History Museum Award

2010               ($1500) Edwin V. Gant Memorial Scholarship, UConn

2009               ($7500) Barry Goldwater National Scholarship

2009               ($3500) Treibick Foundation Summer Research Fellowship

2009               ($500) UConn Life Sciences Honors Thesis Research Grant

2009               ($500) UConn Office of Undergraduate Research Grant

2009               ($375) Katie Bu Memorial Grant

2009               ($1800) UConn University Scholar Award

2007               ($1000) UConn Greater Hartford Campus Scholarship

2007               ($200) UConn Hartford Campus Alumni Scholarship

Other Awards

2010 University Scholar – University of Connecticut

2010 Honors Scholar – University of Connecticut

2009 New England Scholar – University of Connecticut

2007 – 2008 Babbidge Scholar – University of Connecticut

2002 Air Force Commendation Medal – United States Air Force

2001 Distinguished Graduate – United States Air Force Leadership School

1999 Air Force Achievement Medal – United States Air Force

1997 Top Graduate – United States Air Force Technical Training School

Presentations

Invited Seminars

2023               Climate Change Response Framework, Albany, NH, USA

2022               University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

2021               University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA

2021               University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

2020               University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA

2020               Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA

2020               Queen’s College, CUNY, Flushing, New York, USA

2018               Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA

2018               Central Community College, Columbus, Nebraska, USA

2018               Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, USA

International / National / Regional Conferences

Snyderman, L.S.*, K.R. Burgio, A. Spiess, O. Olson, S. Turvey, and A. Mychajliw. 2024. From expiration to extinction: Holocene range collapse of the Great Auk. British Ecological Society Conference.

Snyderman, L.S.*, K.R. Burgio, A. Spiess, O. Olson, S. Turvey, and A. Mychajliw. 2024. From expiration to extinction: Holocene range collapse of the Great Auk. North American Paleontological Convention.

Burgio, K.R., H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, M.D. Starking, K. Cruz*, A. Farrell*, E. Murley*, C. Arndtsen, T. Melvin, T. Rice, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2024. A Review of the Northeast Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Needs’ Biological Responses to Support the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plans Revisions. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Annual Conference.

Lubeck, A., H. Higgins, K. Terwilliger, K.R. Burgio, L. Thurman, T. Rice, A. D’Amato, T.L. Morelli, P. Armsworth, and M.D. Staudinger. 2024. Vulnerability of Northeastern U.S. Species of Greatest Conservation Need to Climate Change. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Annual Conference.

Lubeck, A., K.R. Burgio, A. D’Amato, S. Handler, H. Higgins, T.L. Morelli, K. Terwilliger, T. Rice, L. Thurman, and M.D. Staudinger. 2024. Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Resources in the Northeast United States. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Annual Conference.

Higgins, H. A. Lubeck, K.R. Burgio, T. Rice, A. D’Amato, T.L. Morelli, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2024. Climate Adaptation Case Studies. In: DOI Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center Cooperator Report. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Annual Conference.

Burgio, K.R., H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, M.D. Starking, K. Cruz*, A. Farrell*, E. Murley*, C. Arndtsen, T. Melvin, T. Rice, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2023. A Review of the Northeast Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Needs’ Biological Responses and Vulnerability to Support the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plans Revisions. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference.

Burgio, K.R., K. Cruz*, A. Farrell*, E. Murley*, H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, T. Melvin, T. Rice, M. Starking, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2023. Biological Responses and Vulnerability of At-risk Vernal Pool Species to Climate Change. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference.

Snyderman, L.S.*, K.R. Burgio, A. Spiess, O.L. Olson, S. Turvey, and A.M. Mychajliw. 2023. Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Quaternary Range Collapse of the Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis): New Insights from the Gulf of Maine. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Conference.

Burgio, K.R., M.D. Staudinger,H. Higgins, and A. Lubeck. 2023. A regional synthesis of climate data to inform the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plans in the Northeast U.S. Northeast Fish and Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee Conference.

Staudinger, M.D., K.R. Burgio, H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, T. Melvin, T. Rice, and K. Terwilliger. 2023. A regional synthesis of climate change information and tools to support the 2025 revisions of the State Wildlife Action Plans. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference.

Burgio, K.R., K. Cruz*, A. Farrell*, E. Murley*, H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, T. Melvin, T. Rice, M. Starking, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2023. Biological Responses and Vulnerability of at-risk Vernal Pool Species to Climate Change. Northeast Association Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference.

Burgio, K.R., K. Cruz*, N. Jacques*, E. Murley*, H. Higgins, A. Lubeck, T. Melvin, T. Rice, K. Terwilliger, and M.D. Staudinger. 2023. A review of biological responses of diadromous fishes to climate change to support the 2025 revisions of the State Wildlife Action Plans. Northeastern Division and Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Conference.

Burgio, K.R., R.L. White, F. Montaño-Centellas, K.E. Davis, C.B. van Rees, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. 2020. Mapping trait-based extinction risk: identifying areas of conservation concern for parrots in a changing world. North American Ornithological Conference.

Burnett, J.L., K.R. Burgio, and A. Fournier. 2020. USAvian: a tool for enhancing connections among and within the bird management, conservation, and research communities. North American Ornithological Conference.

Rubega, M.A., K.R. Burgio, A.A. MacDonald, A. Oeldorf-Hirsch, R. Capers, R. Wyss. 2020. Direct assessment shows little effect of science communication training. North American Ornithological Conference.

Gravely, J.*, K.R. Burgio, and M.A. Rubega. 2020. The thermal performance of worn House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) feather coats is even worse than you think. North American Ornithological Conference.

Carlson, C.J., A.J. Phillips, T.A. Dallas, K.R. Burgio, and O.C. Muellerklein. 2017. Taking big data for a spin: the georeferenced U.S. National Parasite Collection and what it can do. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.

Kosman, E., K.R. Burgio, S.J. Presley, M.R. Willig, and S.M. Scheiner. 2017. Poster: Using functional diversity to set conservation priorities: a methodology and a case study of global parrot diversity. International Biogeography Society Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ.

K.R. Burgio, K.E. Davis, L.M. Dreiss, L.M. Cisneros, B.T. Klingbeil, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. 2016. Integrating multiple dimensions of biodiversity and considerations of climate change for parrot conservation. North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, D.C.

Cardillo, C.*,B. Walker, K.R. Burgio, and M.A. Rubega. 2016. Poster: Is A Hothead Stressed? A pilot assessment of thermal imaging as a tool for indexing glucocorticoids. Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Conference, Portland, OR.

Willig, M.R., K.R. Burgio, L.M. Cisneros, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, B.D. Patterson, and S.J. Presley. 2014. Gradients of Phylogenetic Relatedness and Size Similarity:  Bats and Rodents in a Hotspot of Tropical Biodiversity (Manu, Peru). American Society of Mammologists Annual Meeting, Oklahoma City, OK.

Carlson, C.J., K.R. Burgio, and K.E. Block. 2013. Reconstructing the extinction of the Carolina Parakeet: Historical data reveal that two distinct human activities drove two separate subspecies’ declines. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.

Willig, M.R., K.R. Burgio, L.M. Cisneros, L.M. Dreiss, B.T. Klingbeil, B.D. Patterson, and S.J. Presley. 2013. Comparative Biodiversity of Bats and Rodents along an Extensive Tropical Elevational Gradient: Taxonomic, Functional, and Phylogenetic Dimensions. American Society of Mammologists Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

Lopez, B.E., K.R. Burgio, M.B. Carlucci, K.A. Palmquist, A. Parada, V. Weinberger, and A.H. Hurlbert.  2012. Inferring Community Assembly Processes under Niche Lability: Considering the Stress Dominance Hypothesis. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.

Klingbeil, B.T., K.R. Burgio, L.M. Cisneros, K.E. Davis, L.M. Dreiss, B.D. Patterson, S.J. Presley, and M.R. Willig. 2012. Elevational variation of multiple dimensions of biodiversity: inter-taxon comparisons. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.