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Elizabeth Leigh Kalies

Adjunct Associate Professor in the Division of Environmental Natural Sciences
Environmental Natural Science

Overview


Liz Kalies is the Lead Renewable Energy Scientist for the North America region of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and an adjunct associate professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. She is a terrestrial ecologist, with expertise in wildlife field ecology, restoration, and quantitative ecology. At TNC, she develops sound science to support the clean energy transition, particularly focused on renewable energy siting and design practices. She won the NC Sustainable Energy Association's Clean Energy Innovator of the Year Award in 2019 for her efforts to develop best management practices for wildlife conservation at solar facilities. She has a PhD in wildlife ecology from Northern Arizona University, a master’s degree in ecology from Yale University, and a BS in biology from Cornell University.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Adjunct Associate Professor in the Division of Environmental Natural Sciences · 2024 - Present Environmental Natural Science, Nicholas School of the Environment

Recent Publications


Sustainability trade-offs at the nexus of solar energy, agriculture, and biodiversity

Journal Article Geography and Sustainability · June 1, 2026 A rapid transition to renewable energy is necessary for achieving global decarbonization targets, but siting conflicts, particularly beyond the built environment, remain a key barrier to sustainable development. At the same time, climate-induced pressures ... Full text Cite

Practitioner perceptions of biodiversity criteria for solar suitability analyses in the United States.

Journal Article npj biodiversity · May 2026 Acceleration of large-scale solar energy deployment can pose competition for land with biodiversity conservation areas. Solar suitability analyses (SSAs) help identify low-conflict zones for solar development, yet limited work defines which biodiversity-re ... Full text Cite

Wildlife Movement Models Can Inform Large, Ground-Mounted Photovoltaic Solar Energy Siting and Design: A Case Study and Research Agenda

Journal Article Case Studies in the Environment · January 1, 2026 The capacity and footprint of large, ground-mounted photovoltaic solar facilities (GPVs) in the United States (U.S.) has grown rapidly in the early twenty-first century, introducing the potential for conflict with other place-based considerations such as b ... Full text Cite
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Education


Northern Arizona University · 2010 Ph.D.