Award for Excellence in Applied Research

Jacob Barney

Barney is an associate professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and specializes in invasive species, a major threat to global biodiversity.

His research has had a major influence on how impacts of plant invasions are measured and classified. This is an active and rapidly evolving area of research in the invasive plant science field that is in need of more rigorous synthesis.

Invasive species present one of the five greatest threats to global biodiversity and food security, costing more than $1.5 trillion annually. Quantifying, predicting, and mitigating the impacts of invasive species is of utmost importance. These are the axes by which Barney aligns his research program to deliver effective strategies to stakeholders at both the local and national levels.

Barney has created novel ways of quantifying the ecological impacts of invasive plants, which are surprisingly poorly understood. This methodology has gained global attention as being the standard by which impacts are quantified; the impacts are then key for prioritizing invasive species management.

Barney has collaborated and co-authored articles with some of the most influential plant invasion ecologists and weed scientists in the world speaks to the quality, rigor, and impact of his research.