James R. Ehleringer
University of Utah
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Primary Section: 63, Environmental Sciences and Ecology Secondary Section: 15, Geology Membership Type:
Member
(elected 2016)
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Biosketch
Jim Ehleringer is an ecologist and environmental scientist recognized for his contributions to plant ecophysiology and his applications of stable isotope analyses to questions of ecological, climatological, and forensic interest. While Jim was born in Oregon, he grew up in many parts of the United States and Europe as part of a military family. He obtained a BS and MS in Biology from San Diego State University before getting a PhD in biology from Stanford University in 1977. Since that time, he has been a member of the faculty at the University of Utah.
Research Interests
Jim Ehleringer’s laboratory focuses on melding physiological studies with stable isotope technologies. His interdisciplinary approach has been used to understand ecophysiological consequences of variations in plant water relations and photosynthesis spanning from whole plant to ecosystems scales. At the same time Jim’s research lab has applied these approaches to trace the origins of synthetic and biological materials and to uncover the environmental histories recorded in molecules. As a spinoff of this basic research, he co-founded IsoForensics Inc. to apply stable isotope analyses in forensics, ranging from explosives to hair analyses that allow reconstruction origins of travel histories of unidentified murder victims.
