معرفی
Laurel Anderson is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Environment & Sustainability at Ohio Wesleyan University. She holds the Morris Family Professorship of Natural Sciences and Shanklin Family Professorship, with leadership roles in the Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN) and Macrosystems Ecology For All Network (MEFA). Her work bridges plant ecology and poetic exploration of environmental themes.
- B.A., Colby College (1988)
- Ph.D., University of Colorado (1994)
Research interests focus on temperate forest ecology, invasive plant dynamics, and macrosystems ecology, with emphasis on collaborative research across small colleges. She has led field courses in Brazil, Utah, and Alaska, integrating ecological studies with global environmental change.
Scientific publications highlight work on invasive species, ecosystem responses to climate change, and pedagogical innovations in undergraduate ecology education. Recent articles examine garlic mustard invasions, NEON-enabled collaborative learning, and CO2 effects on root dynamics.
Scientific awards include:
- 2022 Eugene P. Odum Award (Ecological Society of America)
- 2015 Ohio Professor of the Year
- Pushcart Prize for Poetry
- NSF-funded network leadership roles
As an educator, she received the Libuse L. Reed Endowed Professorship (2007-2009) and 2025 Bishop Herbert Welch Meritorious Teaching Award. Her poetry appears in Terrain.org, Radar Poetry, and Split Rock Review, often exploring intersections of science, ecology, and the humanities.
