Michelle Lawing

Michelle Lawing is an Associate Professor in the Ecology and Conservation Biology department at Texas A&M University, where she has been employed since 2014. She initially served as an Assistant Professor in Ecosystem Science and Management from 2014 to 2020 before being promoted to Associate Professor in her current department. Her academic journey began with a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; Geological Sciences from Indiana University Bloomington.

Dr. Lawing's research spans multiple disciplines within ecology and evolutionary biology, with particular emphasis on conservation biology, biogeography, and paleontology. Her work integrates historical ecological patterns with contemporary conservation challenges, examining how species and ecosystems respond to environmental changes over time. She has made significant contributions to understanding the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, evolutionary adaptations in reptiles and mammals, and the application of ecometric models for conservation planning.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent productivity across multiple high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and various ecology and herpetology journals. Her recent work shows a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research that bridges paleontology with conservation biology, examining both historical patterns and contemporary applications for species preservation. She frequently collaborates with researchers across institutions, demonstrating engagement with the broader scientific community.

Dr. Lawing has contributed to important initiatives in science education, particularly through biological field stations, and has served as a peer reviewer for journals including Biological Invasions and Communications Biology. Her research program integrates field studies, morphometric analyses, and computational modeling to address fundamental questions in evolutionary ecology and conservation science.