Dr. Toral Patel-Weynand has served as station director at the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station since 2022.
She is a 2024 winner of the Women of Color STEM career achievement award, which recognizes her outstanding contributions in a scientific and technical field.
Patel-Weynand’s Forest Service career began as a national program lead, where she focused on climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in forests and rangelands.
She has worked across academia, the private sector, and federal government in environmental science and natural resources management.
She has served in a number of research and management positions within the Forest Service, Department of State, and U.S. Geological Survey.
Patel-Weynand received her doctorate and master’s degrees from Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and has published more than 100 publications, technical reports, and several books on forest resources and management.
She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington, School of Forest Resources in Seattle.
Throughout her career, Patel-Weynand has leveraged her passion for science and forest management.
She recently served in Washington, D.C.’s Research and Development deputy area.
The Southern Research Station, which she currently heads, has played a significant role in forestry and natural resources management, making ongoing efforts to sustain forest resources.
Patel-Weynand’s background includes work in the fields of environmental science and natural resources management.
In her most recent role, she focused on forest management science and developing practical strategies to enhance forest and rangeland conditions.
In this role, she established strong science-management partnerships to address resource challenges.
