Mark Colwell has been a professor in the Wildlife Department at Humboldt State University (Arcata, CA) for over 25 years. His research on shorebirds for the past 35 years has resulted in over 75 peer-reviewed papers, mostly covering the behavior, ecology and conservation of shorebirds, including the Snowy Plover. He teaches an advanced undergraduate course in Shorebird Ecology, Conservation, and Management, which was the foundation for the text-reference book published in 2010. He has been recognized by HSU as Scholar of the Year (2007) and Outstanding Professor (2013).
Susan Haig is a Senior Scientist (emerita) at the U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Oregon State University and a Research Associate of the Smithsonian Institution. Her work on small population biology and conservation genetics focused on shorebirds and Piping Plovers in particular. For many years, she served as the Leader of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Piping Plover recovery team in the Great Lakes and Northern Great Plains. She also served as President of the American Ornithologists' Union. She has been awarded the Miller Medal by the Cooper Ornithological Society and a Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
