Dr. Whisenant is a Professor and Head of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University. He received his BS in Wildlife Management from Texas Tech University (1975), MS in Biology from Angelo State University (1978), and Ph.D. in Range Science from Texas A&M University (1982). He was previously an Assistant and Associate Professor of Botany and Range Science at Brigham Young University (1982 to 1988). He joined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1988.

Dr. Whisenant teaches an undergraduate course in Ecological Restoration (RLEM 103 - Introduction to Ecological Restoration) and a graduate course in Restoration Ecology (RLEM 612 - Restoration Ecology).

Dr. Whisenant's research focused on developing a conceptual framework for repairing damaged wildland landscapes. The objective is to reduce costs and restore functionality by initiating and directing - rather than confronting - natural successional processes (solar-powered restoration). This was described in his 1999 book "Repairing Damaged Wildlands: a process-oriented, landscape-scale approach" published by Cambridge University Press which was recently republished in Chinese.

Dr. Whisenant has twice been elected to the Board of Directors of the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SER). He continues to serve in that role and as Chair of the SER Publications Working Group. His is a life member of the Society for Range Management and a recipient of their Outstanding Achievement Award (2004) and W. R. Chapline Research Award (2009). The Texas Section of the Society for Range Management awarded him their Outstanding Contribution to Range Management Award (2007).