Stanley Honored by Society for Range Management with Outstanding Young Professional Award

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA – Dr. Paige L. Stanley received the Outstanding Young Professional Award at the Society for Range Management’s 79th Annual Meeting in Monterey, California last month. The Award is presented by the Society to an individual member or couple who have demonstrated extraordinary potential and promise as range management professionals. This award is presented as an encouragement for outstanding performance by young men and women entering the profession of range management. 

Dr. Stanley is an exceptional early-career scientist whose research, leadership, and communication have elevated rangeland science within both professional and public arenas. Currently a Research Scientist at Colorado State University, her work focuses on soil carbon sequestration, grazing management, soil biogeochemistry, and rancher decision-making—connecting ecological outcomes with producer viability and climate solutions. 

Dr. Stanley has authored or co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications in leading journals, with her research cited over 830 times and an H-index of 9 as of July 2025. Her studies on adaptive multi-paddock grazing and soil carbon dynamics have advanced understanding of how grazing systems influence soil health, water cycling, and greenhouse gas balances, while her social-ecological research provides critical insight into how producers adapt management in complex landscapes. 

She has also demonstrated outstanding success in competitive research funding, securing more than $750,000 as principal investigator and co-principal investigator, including USDA-NIFA and Western SARE projects addressing grazing lands sustainability and soil carbon monitoring. Her ability to integrate science, policy relevance, and producer needs exemplifies applied rangeland research at its best. 

Within SRM, Dr. Stanley serves as Chair of the Ecosystem Services Committee Carbon Subcommittee, organizes technical sessions, and has served as an invited plenary panelist. Beyond the Society, her work has been featured in major outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, NPR, and CNN International—bringing accurate rangeland science into global climate and food system conversations. 

For the tremendous contributions to the science and management of rangeland ecosystems she has made, it is with great honor the Society of Range Management recognized Dr. Paige Stanley with the Outstanding Young Professional Award.