Jacqueline McGlade
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline M. McGlade is a leading marine biologist and environmental informatics professor. Her research focusses on the spatial and nonlinear dynamics of ecosystems, climate change and scenario development.
She is the current Executive Director of the European Environment Agency
in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following this appointment, she took leave from her post as Professor of Environmental Informatics in the Department of Mathematics at University College London
.
in Canada. In 1987, she obtained a MA degree from the University of Cambridge
in the UK.
.
Her subsequent research at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography laboratory helped move existing fisheries assessment methodologies from logistic models of population growth to spatially extended predator-prey, or Lotka-Volterra type models. She has also created the basis for a new research activity to become established at the Bedford Institute in spatial modelling and artificial intelligence to apply space-based observations to biological oceanography.
After developing fleet deployment models at the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the USA) and working on ecological networks with researchers at the intelligence systems laboratory at Xerox PARC
, Professor McGlade continued her research in systematics, ichthyology and population dynamics in Cambridge as the Adrian Fellow at Darwin College during the period 1987-1990. At the same time, she expanded her research in coastal issues at the International Federation of Institutes of Advanced Study in the Netherlands and the Cranfield Institute
in the UK, where she worked to develop spatial models for environmental issues.
to study short and long-term changes in ecosystems at FZ Jülich research centre and RWTH Aachen University in Germany. She and her research staff applied their knowledge of dynamical systems, especially in the area of spatial dynamics (differential equations, coupled-map lattices, cellular automata and individual based models) to study the behaviour ecosystems.
In 1992, she accepted a post at the University of Warwick
. The ideas and theories developed during the following ten years led to significant insights into the role of evolutionarily stable attractor
s, invasion exponents and phenotype dynamics in a wide range of ecosystems, including the African savannah, marine communities, annual and perennial plants and forests and red grouse.
She was briefly Director of NERC's Center for Coastal and Marine Science, resigning after less than two years in post with the Centre being disbanded shortly after
With her appointment as NERC Professorial Fellow at University College London
in 2000, her work field extended to environmental policy in areas as diverse as waste, pollution, air quality and biodiversity.
She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering
.
in 2003 for a five-year term. The appointment was renewed in May 2008 for a second term.
At the EEA, Professor McGlade has introduced a fundamental shift in the thinking behind environmental reporting and indicator development towards a shared European spatial environmental information system. Such information system would bring together key aspects of national and international research outputs including those from the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative.
Under her leadership, the Agency is reinforcing its capability to produce integrated environmental assessments, analysing the state of Europe’s environment as a whole, and provide reliable projections. Professor McGlade has worked to strengthen the link between science and policy. She has not only pointed at the magnitude of climate change but also urged policymakers to start developing and applying adaptation measures.
She is also a firm advocate of informing and involving the public in all aspects of the environment. To this end, she has been striving at strengthening the information and feedback channels between researchers, public and policymakers, and making environmental information understandable and accessible through technological media.
In conjunction with her role at the EEA, she is playing an active role in promoting environmental issues in European and international fora, including various UN committees, European Agencies and Environment Protection Agencies networks, and as well as a number of research, institutional and non-governmental advisory committees.
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
FZ Jülich
She is the current Executive Director of the European Environment Agency
European Environment Agency
European Environment Agency is an agency of the European Union. Its task is to provide sound, independent information on the environment. It is a major information source for those involved in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and also the general public...
in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following this appointment, she took leave from her post as Professor of Environmental Informatics in the Department of Mathematics at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Education
Professor McGlade completed her BSc in Marine Biology, Biochemistry and Soil Science at the University College of North Wales, UK, in 1977. She obtained her PhD degree in 1980 on aquatic sciences and zoology from the University of GuelphUniversity of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
in Canada. In 1987, she obtained a MA degree from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in the UK.
Honorary Degrees
- 2005 Honorary Doctorate, University of KentUniversity of KentThe University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
, U.K. - 2003 Honorary Fellow, University of WalesUniversity of WalesThe University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
, U.K. - 1998 Honorary Professor, University of WarwickUniversity of WarwickThe University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, U.K.
Spatial population dynamics
McGlade’s PhD research on the mathematical and statistical analysis of the phenotypic and genotypic variability showed the critical importance of spatial dynamics in determining evolutionary divergence and ecological sustainability in freshwater and marine fish populations. This work led to her establishing the first population dynamics and genetics laboratory in Fisheries and Oceans CanadaFisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, frequently referred to as DFO , is the department within the government of Canada that is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters...
.
Her subsequent research at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography laboratory helped move existing fisheries assessment methodologies from logistic models of population growth to spatially extended predator-prey, or Lotka-Volterra type models. She has also created the basis for a new research activity to become established at the Bedford Institute in spatial modelling and artificial intelligence to apply space-based observations to biological oceanography.
After developing fleet deployment models at the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the USA) and working on ecological networks with researchers at the intelligence systems laboratory at Xerox PARC
Xerox PARC
PARC , formerly Xerox PARC, is a research and co-development company in Palo Alto, California, with a distinguished reputation for its contributions to information technology and hardware systems....
, Professor McGlade continued her research in systematics, ichthyology and population dynamics in Cambridge as the Adrian Fellow at Darwin College during the period 1987-1990. At the same time, she expanded her research in coastal issues at the International Federation of Institutes of Advanced Study in the Netherlands and the Cranfield Institute
Cranfield Institute
The Cranfield Institute for Safety, Risk and Reliability is a part of Cranfield University in the UK. It is primarily a teaching and research facility, but also offers safety-related consultancy to businesses.- Facilities :The Cranfield Institute has several simulators designed for risk and hazard...
in the UK, where she worked to develop spatial models for environmental issues.
Theoretical ecology, ecosystems and policy
From 1988 onwards, Professor McGlade focussed her research on theoretical ecologyTheoretical ecology
Theoretical ecology is the scientific discipline devoted to the study of ecological systems using theoretical methods such as simple conceptual models, mathematical models, computational simulations, and advanced data analysis...
to study short and long-term changes in ecosystems at FZ Jülich research centre and RWTH Aachen University in Germany. She and her research staff applied their knowledge of dynamical systems, especially in the area of spatial dynamics (differential equations, coupled-map lattices, cellular automata and individual based models) to study the behaviour ecosystems.
In 1992, she accepted a post at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
. The ideas and theories developed during the following ten years led to significant insights into the role of evolutionarily stable attractor
Stable attractor
A stable attractor in chaos theory or biology is an equilibrium state into which a system settles until disrupted by a change in the environment...
s, invasion exponents and phenotype dynamics in a wide range of ecosystems, including the African savannah, marine communities, annual and perennial plants and forests and red grouse.
She was briefly Director of NERC's Center for Coastal and Marine Science, resigning after less than two years in post with the Centre being disbanded shortly after
With her appointment as NERC Professorial Fellow at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 2000, her work field extended to environmental policy in areas as diverse as waste, pollution, air quality and biodiversity.
She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering
Campaign for Science and Engineering
The Campaign for Science and Engineering is a non-profit organization which promotes science and engineering in the UK. It focuses on arguing for more research funding, promoting a high-tech and knowledge-based economy, highlighting the need for top-quality science and maths education at all...
.
European Environment Agency
Professor McGlade was appointed Executive Director to the European Environment AgencyEuropean Environment Agency
European Environment Agency is an agency of the European Union. Its task is to provide sound, independent information on the environment. It is a major information source for those involved in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and also the general public...
in 2003 for a five-year term. The appointment was renewed in May 2008 for a second term.
At the EEA, Professor McGlade has introduced a fundamental shift in the thinking behind environmental reporting and indicator development towards a shared European spatial environmental information system. Such information system would bring together key aspects of national and international research outputs including those from the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative.
Under her leadership, the Agency is reinforcing its capability to produce integrated environmental assessments, analysing the state of Europe’s environment as a whole, and provide reliable projections. Professor McGlade has worked to strengthen the link between science and policy. She has not only pointed at the magnitude of climate change but also urged policymakers to start developing and applying adaptation measures.
She is also a firm advocate of informing and involving the public in all aspects of the environment. To this end, she has been striving at strengthening the information and feedback channels between researchers, public and policymakers, and making environmental information understandable and accessible through technological media.
In conjunction with her role at the EEA, she is playing an active role in promoting environmental issues in European and international fora, including various UN committees, European Agencies and Environment Protection Agencies networks, and as well as a number of research, institutional and non-governmental advisory committees.
Academic Prizes & Scholarships
- Masaryk Gold Medal, University of Brno (Czech Republic), 2005
- Minerva Prize (Germany), 1992
- Member of Honour, International Institute for Dynamical Systems (Romania), 1991
- Jubileum Award, Chalmers Technical University (Sweden), 1991
- Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation Award in Genetics (USA), 1980
- Best Research Paper, American Fisheries Society (USA), 1979
- Commonwealth Scholarship (Canada), 1977–80
- Rotary International Graduate Scholarship (Indonesia), 1977
Research interests
- Analysis of risk and uncertainty in complex systems
- Development & implementation of enviroinformatics, including definition of metadata structures, semantic nets and data analysis
- Fuzzy-logic expert systems for environmental management and environmental forecasting
- Ecological economics
- Evolutionary ecology, with special reference to systematics of fishes and marine organisms
- Marine ecosystems analysis
- Application of earth observation data to ecosystem analysis and management
- Modelling the spatio-temporal dynamics of terrestrial and aquatic systems
- Nonlinear dynamics in biology
- Artificial ecologies
- Development of integrated fisheries management models
- Development of a theory of governance for natural resources, with particular reference to sustainable development, global food security and the changing political, global order
External sources
European Environment AgencyBedford Institute of Oceanography
FZ Jülich