David R. Montgomery is a professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he is a member of the Quaternary Research Center.

He has conducted field research in eastern Tibet, South America, the Philippines, Alaska, and the American Pacific Northwest.

After the catastrophic Oso mudslide in Washington State in March, 2014, Montgomery appeared on various news segments to discuss the science behind landslides.

In 2016, Montgomery published The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health, a collaboration with Anne Biklé.

She is a biologist and landscape architect who has worked in "field biology, watershed restoration, environmental planning, and public health.