Rate My Professor Jacob Gibson

Jacob Gibson is a Professor of Environmental Science at Arizona Western College, serving within the Science, Engineering, Agriculture, and Math Programs that encompass Agricultural and Veterinary Science disciplines. He holds an M.S. in Ecology and has established a distinguished career in ecological research and education. His professional trajectory includes affiliations with Utah State University, where he contributed to significant studies on species distributions and climate impacts, as evidenced by his publications co-authored with researchers from Utah State University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Forest Service. At Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona, Gibson teaches in the Environmental Sciences program, preparing students for careers in environmental consulting, natural resource management, and science education with options in applied geology or biology.

Gibson's research specializations center on biogeography, species distribution modeling, predictive modeling, random forests classification, and the effects of climate change on tree species, particularly nonnative invasions and forest dynamics in the western United States. Key publications include the seminal "Random Forests for Classification in Ecology" (2007, Ecology, 6007 citations), co-authored with D.R. Cutler, T.C. Edwards Jr., K.H. Beard, and others; "Nonnative Phragmites australis Invasion into Utah Wetlands" (2011, Western North American Naturalist), with A. Kulmatiski and colleagues; "Using Publicly Available Forest Inventory Data in Climate-Based Models of Tree Species Distribution: Examining Effects of True Versus Altered Location Coordinates" (2014, Ecosystems), with G. Moisen, T. Frescino, and T.C. Edwards Jr.; "Expansion and Contraction Tension Zones in Western US Piñon-Juniper Woodlands under Projected Climate Change" (2012, USA GTR-NRS-P-105); and contributions to "Upper Colorado River Ecosystem-Alternative Futures Study Phase I Report" (2008, Utah State University). His skills encompass image processing and climate change analysis. Gibson coordinates the Arizona Western College Herbarium, received Innovation Fund support for "Bug Days and Beyond" ($2,600 in 2024) to foster insect education, and converted ENV 101 materials to Open Educational Resources. These efforts enhance student engagement and ecological understanding in the field.