Julie L. Lockwood (born September 17, 1969) is an American ecologist who is a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources at

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

. She is the Director of the Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. Her research investigates how

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

impact natural

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

s. In 2022, she was elected a

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

Early life and education

Lockwood was an undergraduate student in biology at

Georgia Southern University Georgia Southern University (informally known as Southern or Georgia Southern) is a public university, public research university in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The largest campus is in Statesboro, Georgia, Statesboro, with ...

. Her masters research investigated

passerine A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped') which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines generally have an anisodactyl arrangement of their ...

communities. She moved to the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (or The University of Tennessee; UT; UT Knoxville; or colloquially UTK or Tennessee) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, United St ...

for her doctorate in

zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

, where she studied the assembly of ecological communities.

Research and career

Lockwood studies how

impact their environments. She has studied how humans have impacted

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

, and designed interventions to slow the rate of species extinctions. Her research has contributed to the protection of native species across the United States. She served as Champion of "Rutgers Earth 2100", a research activity that will monitor regional weather dynamics as a model to manage climate change. She proposed that Earth 2100 would work with decision makers to link science to policy action, protecting the biological rich and culturally diverse communities of

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. In 2022, Lockwood was made Chair of the

Climate Change Task Force. She was named Director of the Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences in 2022.

Awards and honors

* 2018

in Research Excellence Award * 2020 Excellence in Mentoring of Graduate Students * 2020 Elected a

of the

Ecological Society of America The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is a professional organization of ecological scientists. Based in the United States and founded in 1915, ESA publications include peer-reviewed journals, newsletters, fact sheets, and teaching resources. I ...

* 2022 Elected a

of the

Selected publications

* * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lockwood, Julie Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) American ecologists Georgia Southern University alumni University of Tennessee alumni Rutgers University faculty Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science American women scientists American women ecologists 20th-century American scientists 20th-century American women scientists 21st-century American scientists 21st-century American women scientists