David Lodge begins term as ESA president for 2016-2017

David Lodge, 2016-17 President of the Ecological Society of America. Credit Robert Barker/ Cornell University.

David Lodge, Director of the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University, became President of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) on August 12, 2016.

As President, Lodge now chairs ESA’s governing board, which establishes the Society’s vision, goals and objectives.

“The need is greater than ever for rigorous scientific information about the dependence of humans on nature, and how we can continue to meet our needs now while protecting the natural capital necessary to provide ecosystem goods and services for future generations. The Ecological Society of America will continue to be the source for such information—from discoveries of how nature works to the application of those discoveries for the benefit of all. I am honored and humbled to serve ESA as president,” Lodge said.

Lodge brings a background of collaboration with economists, historians, theologians and philosophers, and he has partnered with such organizations as The Nature Conservancy to bring his scientific work into public policy. He has testified before Congress on numerous occasions, served on national and international policy boards, and recently completed a year as a senior science adviser to the U.S. Department of State. In 2013, he was appointed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Science Advisory Board.

A renowned expert on invasive species, Lodge’s research focuses on freshwater ecology; invasive species biology and bioeconomics; ecological risk analysis; global changes and biodiversity; and environmental ethics and policy. He has published over 200 scientific papers and edited two books.