Department of Ecosystem Science & Management

Dr. Susan Stafford is a professor in the Department of Forest Resources at the University of Minnesota. She earned her B.S. in Biology from Syracuse University, an M.S. in quantitative ecology, and a Ph.D. in applied statistics from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York. Her primary areas of research specialization include applied statistics, research information management, environmental leadership, and frameworks for interdisciplinary research and education.

Her current work focuses on facilitating and enabling interdisciplinary environmental research and education; and using visual analytics (computer visualization and animation) to promote the flow and understanding of environmental data and information among researchers (ecologists and environmental scientists), practitioners (resource managers) and stakeholders (policy makers and the public.) The central goal of this work is to improve the efficacy of research activity between biophysical and social scientists by identifying the knowledge and skills that will be needed to effectively address the grand challenges spanning the biophysical and social sciences at a global scale. Professor Stafford currently chairs the NSF Advisory Committee on Environmental Research and Education which seeks to promote significant new investments in the linkage of social and biophysical sciences.

Throughout her successful career in education, research, and leadership Dr Stafford has served in several high profile administrative and service capacities, including Visiting Division Director, Biological Sciences Directorate, National Science Foundation; Department Head of the Department of Forest Sciences, Colorado State University; and Dean of the College of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota. She has enjoyed a long association with the NSF Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER) and served as the first chair of the LTER Information Manager's Executive Committee (1980-1998) and has been a Co-Principal Investigator on the H.J. Andrews Long Term Ecological Research Site as well as the Short Grass Steppe LTER Project. Among Dr. Stafford's many honors are the Oregon State University (OSU) Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, OSU Woman of Achievement Award, and OSU College of Forestry Aufderhiede Award for Teaching Excellence.

Dr. Edsko Jerry Dyksterhuis was born on December 27, 1908 and reared on a farm near Hospers, Iowa. He received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Range Management from Iowa State University in 1932 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Ecology and Soil Science from the University of Nebraska in 1945 under the guidance of Professor J.E. Weaver. Dr. Dyksterhuis joined the Soil Conservation Service in Fort Worth, Texas as Range Conservationist for the Western Gulf Region and later served 15 years as Head Range Conservationist for the Northern Plains Region in Lincoln, Nebraska. His outstanding performance in this capacity was recognized with an USDA Award for Outstanding Leadership. During brief leaves, he held visiting professorships at Montana State University, South Dakota State University, Kansas State University and Colorado State University. He also served as the first Extension Range Specialist for South Dakota. He served as President of the International Society for Range Management in 1968 and received the Society's highest awards and recognition. Upon retirement from federal service, after 10 years with the U.S. Forest Service and 20 years with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Dr. Dyksterhuis joined the Texas A&M faculty as Professor of Rangeland Ecology in the Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management from 1964-1970 and he received Professor Emeritus status in July 1970.

He authored many scientific and popular articles and received the Mercer Award from the Ecological Society of America for his Ecological Monograph (1948) entitled "Western Cross Timbers of Texas" and the Authorship Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for an Ecology paper (1957) entitled "Savanna Concept and Its Use." Dr. Dyksterhuis is most recognized for application of ecological succession to the quantitative evaluation of range condition and trend, a system widely used by federal and state land management agencies to assess the ecological status of rangeland ecosystems and to serve as a guide for sustainable rangeland management. The research paper (1949) that initially described this concept, "Condition and management of rangelands based on quantitative ecology' has been cited extensively. His personal library is housed in the Special Collections section of Sterling Evans Library, Texas A&M University.

Dr. E.J. Dyksterhuis personified the phrase "a gentleman and a scholar." It is with great respect for his vision, commitment and accomplishment that we dedicate this lectureship in his name.