Yale Appoints Liza Comita as Davis-Denkmann Professor
Liza Comita, a leading forest ecologist known for groundbreaking research on tropical forest dynamics, has been appointed the Davis-Denkmann Professor of Tropical Forest Ecology at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE).
Leadership in Forest and Climate Research
Comita joined Yale in 2014 and served as the inaugural co-director of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture (YCNCC), part of Yale Planetary Solutions. She also holds a secondary appointment in Yale’s Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.
Her work combines field studies, experiments, and quantitative modeling to explore how forests maintain biodiversity and adapt to climate change. Her studies have been published in Nature, Science, and PNAS, with over 100 peer-reviewed papers to her name.
Recognized for Scientific Excellence
Comita’s research has shaped understanding of how natural enemies influence forest recovery and how climate change impacts tropical trees. Her accolades include the British Ecological Society’s Founders’ Prize and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2022.
Her appointment reflects Yale’s commitment to advancing research in tropical forest conservation and natural climate solutions.
