Profs at the Pub with Dr. Joan Dudney

Profs at the Pub with Dr. Joan Dudney

Monday, February 9, 2026

6:30 PM at M Special Brewing Downtown

The Fascinating Science of Resilience 

As climate change increases, extreme events like floods, fires, and droughts are reshaping the natural world. In some places, ecosystems are changing dramatically, while in others, nature persists and adapts. Despite widespread predictions of collapse, we still know surprisingly little about when and why these events occur. In this talk, Dr. Joan Dudney, Assistant Professor at UC Santa Barbara, takes audiences into the fascinating science of resilience. Drawing on cutting-edge research from ecosystems around the globe, she explores why some natural systems withstand extreme stress while others do not—and what these patterns can teach us about resilience more broadly.

About the Professor

Joan Dudney is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Research in the Landscapes of Change (LOC) Lab is focused on understanding the causes and consequences of global change on ecosystems worldwide. Her current research focuses on identifying the mechanisms that underpin ecosystem resilience, particularly in forest systems, as well as the cascading consequences of shifting disturbance regimes. She has received multiple awards and fellowships for her research, including recognition as an Ecological Society of America Early Career Fellow.

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