Jessica Hellmann

Jessica Hellmann, Ph.D., serves as a Professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior within the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She also holds the position of Director of the Institute on the Environment, demonstrating her leadership in both academic and environmental research domains.

Professor Hellmann's research focuses on global change ecology and climate adaptation. She was among the first to propose and study innovative techniques in conservation management to reduce climate change impacts. Her work has led a paradigm shift in ecology and natural resource management by demonstrating that adaptation—living with climate change—is equally crucial to the future of humanity and Earth's ecosystems as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Her research reveals that differences in how populations respond to climate change are key to predicting and managing their future. The Hellmann Lab conducts field and laboratory experiments, develops conceptual theories and mathematical models, and uses genomic techniques to understand ecological responses to environmental changes and develop strategies to help people and ecosystems adapt.

Her work extends to interdisciplinary sustainability science and science communication through her leadership of the Institute on the Environment. Much of her lab's work focuses on predicting changes in species' geographic distribution, particularly using insect and plant systems, with notable research on endangered species like the Karner Blue butterfly. She also conducts applied research in climate change adaptation through collaboration with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.

• Leshner Leadership Institute Public Engagement Fellow (first cohort of Public Engagement Fellows of the Leshner Leadership Institute at the American Association for the Advancement of Science)

Professor Hellmann actively counsels state and national governments on natural resource management and has worked with governments and corporations to build investment in climate change adaptation. She has co-authored several climate assessment and adaptation planning efforts, including the biodiversity and ecosystem portions of the Chicago Climate Action Plan and the 2014 National Climate Assessment. Her lab engages in regular dialog with the public to implement climate adaptation strategies and works closely with stakeholders in agencies and industry. The Hellmann Lab also leverages its expertise through the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, a Center hosted at the University of Minnesota and pursued in collaboration with the USGS and several other organizations across the region.

The Hellmann Lab operates at the intersection of theoretical ecology, applied conservation, and stakeholder engagement, with ongoing projects related to climate change adaptation that involve both experimental work and policy development. Her leadership extends to directing the Institute on the Environment, which serves as a hub for interdisciplinary sustainability research across the University of Minnesota system.