August 2026 Noon Lecture

Lecture title: : (Un)Lighting the Way: The Effects of Light Pollution on Migratory Birds

Lecture description: With growing urbanization comes an increase in light pollution, caused by outdoor light at night. Light pollution is a global issue that affects the migratory patterns of many bird species. This lecture highlights current research on how birds navigate increasingly brighter nightscapes and what we can do to help them on their journeys. 

Bio: Murry Burgess grew up in the suburbs of MN, FL, TN, and MS with an interest in the wildlife around her. She followed this interest into a B.S. degree in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University. She went on to graduate school at North Carolina State University to pursue a Ph.D. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. After completing her dissertation, she became a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University.

​Her work extends past ornithology and ecology research.  She is also an advocate for field safety in the natural sciences as an aspect of accessibility and inclusion. In 2022, she co-founded a nonprofit, Field Inclusive, which amplifies and supports marginalized and historically excluded field biologists. She is also the author of Sparrow Loves Birds and Sparrow Loves Reptiles.