Fosters a love for lifelong learning.
Jeffrey Hutchinson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he has served since 2016, advancing from Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Ecology to his current role in 2022. He earned his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Florida in 2010, focusing on weed science and the physiological characteristics of herbicides for managing Old World climbing fern; an M.S. in Forestry with an emphasis in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Kentucky in 1998, studying summer roost site selection of red bats; a B.S. in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida in 1994; and an A.S. in Biology from Central Florida Community College in 1992. Prior to academia, Hutchinson held positions as Aquatic Botanist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Florida's Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, Land Manager at Archbold Biological Station, and District Biologist with the Florida Park Service, complemented by earlier roles in wildlife conservation and service in the United States Marine Corps.
Hutchinson's research specializes in freshwater ecology, aquatic and terrestrial plant ecology, invasive species, endangered aquatic macrophytes such as Texas wildrice (Zizania texana), stormwater pollutant runoff, carbon sequestration, and phytoremediation using native plants. His work on the Edwards Aquifer and Leon Creek Greenway examines vegetation composition, benthic invertebrates, microbial communities, and the effects of floods, droughts, and non-native species on aquatic health. Key publications include 'Evaluating the suppression of Hydrilla verticillata by manual removal and planting an endangered and common native aquatic plant' (Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, 2024), 'Vegetation composition and carbon sequestration along right-of-ways on Interstate Highway 35' (Journal of Environmental Sciences, in press), 'Composition of soil bacterial communities associated with urban stormwater detention basins' (Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2023), and propagation protocols for Texas wildrice (Native Plants Journal, 2017). He leads the Hutchinson Lab, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and mentoring programs like EcoJEDI for underrepresented students in environmental science.