Her research interests lie in biogeography, urbanization, ecological systems, environmental philosophy and conservation. Within these broader areas, she focuses on species response to human influenced land use change, and urban ecology. Dr. Widner uses a multi-agent ecological modeling, combined with digital imagery to illustrate change, through traditional visual and spatial analysis. Additionally, she has conducted research on environmental perception in urban areas and has interests in understanding environmental perceptions, citizen action, and how these elements affect the political process and policy decisions. The proliferation of urban systems, concurrent with human population growth, makes cities the new wilderness for species conservation and her passion lies in identifying and creating sustainable solutions for people and wildlife.