Law, Beverly

Position Type: 
Faculty
Job Title: 
Professor Emeritus
Department: 
Forest Ecosystems & Society
Office Location: 

328 Richardson Hall

Phone Number: 
(541) 737-6111
Activities/Awards: 
American Geophysical Union Fellow (2014)
Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow (2004)
World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Norbert Gerbier-MUMM International Award for publication of the year (2004)
OSU Department of Forest Science Graduate Student Award for Outstanding Faculty (2007)
Dean’s award for excellence in research (2000)
ESI (Essential Science Indicators) most highly cited researcher, ranking among the top 1% most cited in agricultural sciences in the decade 2002-2012
ESI (Essential Science Indicators) most highly cited researcher, ranking among the top 1% most cited in agricultural sciences in the decade 1993-2003
Education: 
B.S., 1980, Forest Management, University of Florida
Ph.D., 1993, Forest Science, Oregon State University
Research Areas: 
  • Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum
  • Science of Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Management
  • Integrated Social and Ecological Systems
  • Forest, Wildlife and Landscape Ecology
Research Interests: 
  • Global Change Biology
  • Terrestrial Systems Science
Ecosystem processes, including carbon and water cycling (e.g. photosynthesis, transpiration by trees and shrubs, autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration) as influenced by climate and disturbance; processes contributing to whole ecosystem CO2 and water vapor exchange measured by the eddy covariance method; remote sensing of canopy structure; modeling ecosystem processes in response to climate and disturbance. For an overview of my research projects, visit my TERRA-PNW page (link above)
Bio: 
Dr. Beverly Law is now an Emeritus Professor, and was previously Professor of Global Change Biology & Terrestrial Systems Science in the Department of Forest Ecosystems & Society, and an Adjunct Professor in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. She is an American Geophysical Union Fellow and Aldo Leopold Fellow. Dr. Law’s research focuses on the effects of climate change, fire, and management on ecosystem carbon and water cycling, addressing issues such as vulnerability of forests to drought-related mortality, and ecological implications of human actions intended to minimize drought and fire effects. She is an author or co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed publications. She and her students and postdocs have contributed to our understanding of the interactions between ecosystems and the atmosphere, and regional analysis of carbon and water cycling and potential vulnerability of forests under future climate. Dr. Law served as Science Chair of the AmeriFlux network of 100+ land-atmosphere research sites (2000-2011), Chair of the Global Terrestrial Observing System – Terrestrial Carbon Observations (GTOS-TCO), and on the National Research Council committees “Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Methods to Support International Climate Agreements,” and “Air Quality Management in the U.S.” Currently, she serves on the international advisory board of the European Integrated Carbon Observation System. Dr. Law has testified before U.S. House and Senate Committees on a variety of issues, such as "Managing forests in response to climate change including for natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration," and "Monitoring, measurement, and verification of greenhouse gas emissions." Mentoring: Dr. Law has mentored 7 MS and 7 PhD students, and over 20 post-docs and visiting scientists. Teaching: Graduate courses include Global Change Ecology: Impacts, Mitigation, and Adaptation; Drought and Heat Effects on Forests; Measuring and Modeling Carbon and Water Dynamics

Complete Publications List:

For a complete list of publications, visit Researcher ID