SBU Ecology and Evolution Professor Named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America
Jessica Gurevitch recognized for her work on plant ecology and statistical applications in ecology
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Jun 27, 2013 – 4:00:00 PM
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| Jessica Gurevitch, PhD. |
STONY BROOK, NY, June 27, 2013 – Jessica Gurevitch, PhD, Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, has been named a fellow of the Ecological Society of America (ESA). The ESA’s Fellows program, established in 2012, recognizes members for their contributions to ecological research and discovery, communication, education and pedagogy, and to management and policy. Dr. Gurevitch was recognized for her work on plant ecology and statistical applications in ecology. ESA Fellows are members who have made outstanding contributions to a wide range of fields served by ESA, including, but not restricted to those that advance or apply ecological knowledge in academics, government, non-profit organizations and the broader society. They are elected for life.
Dr. Gurevitch’s research interests in plant ecology and statistical applications in ecology focus on population and community ecology. Her current major interests are plant demography in disturbed environments, the ecology of biological invasions, and meta-analysis in ecological research.
“I congratulate Dr. Gurevitch on another well-deserved honor recognizing her continuing contributions to the field of ecology,” said Dennis N. Assanis, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Stony Brook University. “Her influential work is indicative of the world-class research being conducted at Stony Brook, and her popularity as a teacher speaks to the importance we place on educating our students to excel in their chosen fields.”
“I was surprised and delighted at this wonderful recognition and honor,” Dr. Gurevitch said.
Dr. Gurevitch, who in 2010 was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the Biological Sciences, introduced contemporary quantitative research synthesis and meta-analysis to the fields of ecology and evolution, changing the way scientists in these fields conceptualize and review scientific data. This work has been controversial and highly influential. It grew out of her interests in applying rigorous statistical methodology to the analysis of ecological data and the design of ecological experiments. In addition to giving many invited and keynote talks on this and other aspects of her research and serving on the editorial boards of a number of prominent scientific journals, she has held elective office in several major professional societies in her field and convened a number of high profile workshops and working groups at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, and at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center.
She has published influential papers on various other statistical applications in ecology, including spatial statistics and repeated measures, collaborating with statisticians to bring powerful and effective statistical tools to this field. Her bestselling co-edited book, “The Design and Analysis of Ecological Experiments” (Scheiner and Gurevitch), went through two editions and has influenced a generation of young ecologists. Dr. Gurevitch is also known for carrying out important fieldwork in plant population and community ecology, and her work has been highlighted in several ecological textbooks. Many of her papers are highly cited.
Dr. Gurevitch is the lead author on the major undergraduate textbook in her field, “The Ecology of Plants” (Gurevitch, Scheiner and Fox). A popular teacher at both graduate and undergraduate levels, she was honored with an award for graduate teaching excellence. Dr. Gurevitch has mentored numerous graduate students at the Masters and PhD levels, and many undergraduate and high school students in independent research (including two of the latter who earned national semi-finalist status for their work in national science competitions). As former Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolution, she worked to advance and support teaching and research excellence through a variety of initiatives, among other accomplishments. She has served in many other roles as a highly-regarded scientist and in a leadership capacity.
Dr. Gurevitch received a BS in Biological Sciences/Ecology, Evolution & Systematics from Cornell University and a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona.
The Ecological Society of America is the world’s largest community of professional ecologists and the trusted source of ecological knowledge. ESA is committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 10,000 member Society publishes five journals, convenes an annual scientific conference, and broadly shares ecological information through policy and media outreach and education initiatives.
© Stony Brook University 2013
