Dr Michelle Jackson has been awarded the Marsh Award for Ecology in the British Ecological Society’s 2026 Awards. This prize is awarded for an outstanding current research record which is having a significant impact on the development of ecology in research and practice. It is provided by the Marsh Charitable Trust and administered by the British Ecological Society.
Michelle's research has advanced understanding of biodiversity dynamics across space and time, reshaping perspectives on community assembly and species interactions, particularly in freshwater systems under multiple environmental stressors.
Renowned for her originality, Michelle integrates large-scale datasets with ecological theory to generate new insights into species coexistence and ecosystem resilience, bridging macroecology, community ecology, and conservation science. Her work has influenced both ecological research and conservation policy at international scales.
Beyond her research, Michelle is a committed and inspiring leader. She fosters a thriving research group, mentors early-career scientists, and actively contributes to the ecological community. An engaging communicator, she works closely with policymakers, practitioners, and the public to ensure ecological science informs real-world decisions. Her leadership and service further strengthen the discipline.
On reflection of receiving the award, Michelle says:
“It was such a nice surprise to win – I am on maternity leave, so it was extra special to remember life beyond motherhood. I didn’t know I had been nominated so it really came out of the blue and I am delighted. Looking at the list of eminent past awardees, I feel honoured to be included. All my work is always a team effort, so I am incredibly grateful to everyone I have collaborated with including all the brilliant postdocs and students that I have worked with at Oxford. I am particularly grateful to Prof Guy Woodward who has mentored me since I was an undergraduate student studying zoology.”
On what excites her in the world of ecology, Michelle says:
“Much of my past research has focused on how stressor interactions vary over space, but looking ahead I want to focus more on how they vary over time. Historical stressors will influence how a community responds to current stressors, but this interaction is extremely difficult to quantify in a realistic setting. I have some exciting ideas about how to address this knowledge gap using newly emerging 'novel ecosystems’ which have formed entirely within the Anthropocene. I am also excited about looking back in time in the context of multiple stressors using herbarium and museum archives of aquatic organisms.”
