Sarah Hobbie

College of Biological Sciences
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
(651) 625-6269
shobbie@umn.edu

An associate professor of ecology, evolution and behavior, Sarah Hobbie has been with the University of Minnesota since 1998. Her research focuses on four interlinked questions:

  1. How do human-induced global changes alter ecosystem function, particularly in the case of plant-soil interactions?
  2. What is the nature of plant-soil feedbacks?
  3. What factors influence decomposition? and
  4. How does urbanization affect the cycling of potential pollutants?

Hobbie’s work has shifted toward interdisciplinary inquiry in recent years as she has become increasingly interested in impacts of human-induced changes on ecosystem function and on ways to make urban ecosystems more sustainable. Her interest in becoming an IonE resident fellow emerged from a growing awareness of both the challenge and importance of bringing the diverse expertise of social scientists, engineers and others as well as biophysical scientists to bear on environmental issues.

Hobbie’s goal as an IonE resident fellow is to develop a new freshman seminar, Living Sustainably in Urban Ecosystems. The seminar will include field trips and use of the Household Flux Calculator, a tool she developed with colleagues that provides a snapshot of the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus through a home.

See Hobbie’s faculty page for more information.

Sarah Hobbie

BEYOND THE BIO

  • Hobbies:
    Gardening, hanging out with the kids, listening to Twins games on the radio, doing Pilates, making pizza, and Nordic skiing.
  • Fun Fact:
    Every year we press gallons of pear cider from our backyard pear tree.