Peter P. Marra is an American ornithologist, conservationist, and educator. Marra is the Founding Director and Dean of the Earth Commons and a biology professor at Georgetown University. [1] Marra is a former director of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Marra is best known for his research on domesticated and feral cats and their impact on bird populations. [2]
Marra earned a B.S. in biology and chemistry from Southern Connecticut State University, an M.S. in zoology from Louisiana State University in 1989, and a Ph.D. in ecology from Dartmouth College in 1998. [3] [4] From 1999 to 2019, Marra worked as a researcher and the director of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. [4] In 2019, Marra was appointed Dean of the Earth Commons, Institute for Environment & Sustainability, and Laudato Si’ Professor of Biology and the Environment at Georgetown University. [4]
Marra has founded bird conservancy projects including Neighborhood Nestwatch, The Migratory Connectivity Project, and the Animal Mortality and Monitoring Program. [3] [5]
Marra was awarded the 2018 Elliott Coues Award for his contribution to ornithology. [2]
Among some 260+ publications authored, coauthored, or edited by Marra: