Nancy Tuchman

Nancy Tuchman (born January 17, 1958) is an American environmental scientist, educator, and activist. She specializes on human impacts on aquatic ecosystem function, with a focus on coastal Great Lake ecosystems.[1] Tuchman is dedicated to raising public awareness about issues of global climate change and education. Her dedication is shown through her thirty years of educating students in environmental sciences at Loyola University Chicago.[1] In 2013 she founded the Institute of Environmental Sustainability on Loyola University's campus - which later became the School of Environmental Sustainability in late 2020 - and is a driver of environmental change and progress in the Chicago area.[2]

Nancy Tuchman
Born (1958-01-17) January 17, 1958
Alma materPh.D. University of Louisville M.S. Central Michigan University
AwardsExpanded Reason Award, Pope Benedict XVI Foundation (2017); Honorary PhD Recipient and Commencement Speaker, Central MI University (2014); Chicago Magazine's Green Award (2013)
Scientific career
Fieldsaquatic ecology, global change, invasive species
Websitehttps://www.luc.edu/biology/tuchman.shtml

Early life and education

Tuchman grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she was raised for a love of the outdoors by two amateur ecologist parents.[3] Time spent in nature, exploring streams and lakes, led to her passion for aquatic ecosystems that carried out through her education and career.[3]

Tuchman went on to study biology and ecology at Central Michigan University to then earn a Masters of Science in aquatic ecology. From there she attended the University of Louisville to earn a Ph.D in aquatic ecology in 1988 with advisor, R. Jan Stevenson. Her dissertation was titled: “Effects of different intensities and frequencies of disturbance by snail herbivory on periphyton succession.”[1]

Career and research

Tuchman's research focuses on human impacts to aquatic ecosystems with three main lines of research: effects of invasive species on coastal ecosystems, effects of Greenhouse gases on stream ecosystem food webs, and the effects of contaminants and pharmaceuticals on streams and lakes.[4] She is currently examining the impacts of invasive species, Typha x glauca (hybrid cattail) and Phragmites australis (common reed) in the Great lakes coastal wetlands. Her team is now experimenting with economic and sustainable harvesting methods to remove the invasive plant species and use them as a biomass, as the cattail is high in cellulose-carbon- great for burning.[5][6][7]

In 1988 she became an instructor in the biology department at Loyola University Chicago. Over 30 years of research, Tuchman has been awarded over $4.5 million in federal grants, she has authored or co-authored over 50 manuscripts and book chapters, and mentored or co-mentored over 100 undergraduate and graduate students in her lab.[8] In 2002 she served as a program officer for the Ecosystem Studies Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF) to overseeing a $13 million dollar budget and two programs, Ecosystem Studies and Coupled Natural and Human Systems.

After serving at the NSF, she returned to Loyola as Associate Provost for Research and Centers. This position gave her headway for the discussion and proposing of the idea to make a more energy efficient and sustainable campus and ultimately establish the Institute of Environmental Sustainability. Tuchman has been a leader in the efforts to re-imagine Loyola's campus as green certified, as well as incorporating environmental education in the core curriculum for all undergraduate students.[9] In 2016, Loyola University Chicago was named one of the seven greenest universities in the nation according to Sierra Magazine.[10] The Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola has hosted an annual Climate Change Conference since 2015. Tuchman believes that Jesuit universities can play an important role in the development of incorporating environmental education into higher education across the board because climate change is tied to issues of social justice.[9]

From 2008 to 2010, Tuchman served as president-elect and then president of the Society for Freshwater Science.[11]

Selected publications
  • Effects of an invasive cattail species (Typha × glauca) on sediment nitrogen and microbial community composition in a freshwater wetland[12]
  • Elevated atmospheric CO2 lowers leaf litter nutritional quality for stream ecosystem food webs[13]
  • Changes in the Vertical Microdistribution of Diatoms within a Developing Periphyton Mat[14]
  • Differential heterotrophic utilization of organic compounds by diatoms and bacteria under light and dark conditions[15]
  • Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Alters Soil Microbial Communities Associated with Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Roots[16]
  • Patterns of environmental change associated with Typha x glauca invasion in a Great Lakes coastal wetland[17]

Notable books, op-eds and journals written and co-edited
  • Co-founder of Healing Earth, an on-line, free environmental science textbook.[18]
  • Wrote chapter, "A Preferential Option for the Earth" in Religious Perspectives on Transhumanism.[19]
  • Op-ed: "The Pope is Talking to You, Chicago" in Chicago Sun-Times. (2015)[20]
  • Op-ed: "Cold Truth: It's Time to Act on Climate Change" in Chicago Tribune. (2013)[21]
  • Tuchman, N.C. and M.J. Schuck. 2014. “A Preferential Option for the Earth.” In: Humanity at The Threshold: Religious Perspectives on Transhumanism. Eds. J. C. Haughey and I. Delio. The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy. Washington, D.C. 113-126.[5]

Awards and honors
  • Expanded Reason Award, Pope Benedict XVI Foundation (2017)[22]
  • Honorary PhD Recipient and Commencement Speaker, Central MI University (2014)[23]
  • Chicago Magazine's Green Award (2013)[2]

References
  1. "Our People: Founding Dean, Institute of Environmental Sustainability: Institute of Environmental Sustainability: Loyola University Chicago". www.luc.edu. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  2. "Why the Next Big Environmental Breakthrough Could Start in Chicago". Chicago magazine. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  3. "7 Eco-Champions Bringing Positive Change and Sustainability to Chicago". Make It Better - Family, Food, Finances & Philanthropy. 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  4. "Jesuit Friends and Alumni". Jesuitmidwest.org. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  5. "Nancy C. Tuchman: Biology, Department of: Loyola University Chicago". www.luc.edu. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  6. "Nancy Tuchman, Ph.D." HealingEarth. 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  7. Lishawa, Shane C.; Jankowski, Kathijo; Geddes, Pamela; Larkin, Daniel J.; Monks, Andrew M.; Tuchman, Nancy C. (2014). "Denitrification in a Laurentian Great Lakes coastal wetland invaded by hybrid cattail ( Typha × glauca )". Aquatic Sciences. 76 (4): 483–495. doi:10.1007/s00027-014-0348-5. S2CID 15571527. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  8. "Nancy Tuchman, Ph.D. | Catholic Climate Covenant". catholicclimatecovenant.org. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  9. "Loyola University Chicago champions social and environmental justice [video] | U.S. Green Building Council". www.usgbc.org. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  10. Owen, Ruggerio (September 21, 2016). "Loyola Named Seventh Greenest University in the Nation". Loyola Phoenix. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  11. "Officers & Committees | Society for Freshwater Science". freshwater-science.org. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  12. Angeloni, Nicholas L.; Jankowski, Kathi Jo; Tuchman, Nancy C.; Kelly, John J. (2006). "Effects of an invasive cattail species (Typha x glauca) on sediment nitrogen and microbial community composition in a freshwater wetland". FEMS Microbiology Letters. 263 (1): 86–92. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00409.x. ISSN 0378-1097. PMID 16958855.
  13. Tuchman, Nancy C.; Wetzel, Robert G.; Rier, Steven T.; Wahtera, Kirk A.; Teeri, James A. (2002). "Elevated atmospheric CO2 lowers leaf litter nutritional quality for stream ecosystem food webs". Global Change Biology. 8 (2): 163–170. Bibcode:2002GCBio...8..163T. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2486.2002.00460.x. ISSN 1354-1013. S2CID 85728019.
  14. Johnson, Ronald E.; Tuchman, Nancy C.; Peterson, Christopher G. (1997). "Changes in the Vertical Microdistribution of Diatoms within a Developing Periphyton Mat". Journal of the North American Benthological Society. 16 (3): 503–519. doi:10.2307/1468140. ISSN 0887-3593. JSTOR 1468140. S2CID 84086897.
  15. Tuchman, NC; Schollett, MA; Rier, ST; Geddes, P (2006). "Differential Heterotrophic Utilization of Organic Compounds by Diatoms and Bacteria under Light and Dark Conditions". Hydrobiologia. 561 (1): 167–177. doi:10.1007/s10750-005-1612-4. ISSN 0018-8158. S2CID 17718937.
  16. Janus, LR; Angeloni, NL; McCormack, J; Rier, ST; Tuchman, NC; Kelly, JJ (2005). "Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Alters Soil Microbial Communities Associated with Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Roots". Microbial Ecology. 50 (1): 102–109. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.524.7680. doi:10.1007/s00248-004-0120-9. ISSN 0095-3628. PMID 16052378. S2CID 29579344.
  17. Tuchman, Nancy C.; Larkin, DJ; Geddes, P; Wildova, R; Jankowski, K; Goldberg, E (2009). "Patterns of environmental change associated with Typha x glauca invasion in a Great Lakes coastal wetland". Wetlands. 29 (3): 964–975. doi:10.1672/08-71.1. ISSN 0277-5212. S2CID 28937488.
  18. "Healing Earth". HealingEarth. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  19. Tuchman, Nancy (2014). "Preferential Option for the Earth". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. "Opinion: The pope is talking to you, Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  21. Tuchman, Donald J. Wuebbles and Nancy C. "Cold truth". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  22. "Expanded Reason Award for Healing Earth | Ecology and Jesuits in Communication". www.ecojesuit.com. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  23. "CMU names December commencement speakers | Central Michigan University". www.cmich.edu. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
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