Dennis Ojima returned to the position of Interim Director of the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory on July 1. EcoPress sat down with him to discuss his time working in the field, his previous experiences as Interim Director, and his view on the future of NREL.

How long have you worked at/with NREL, and what drew you here?

I started in 1982 in a student hourly position, working in the lab before entering the actual graduate program.

It was truly an accident that I came to Fort Collins. I had a Master’s in Ecology and was looking into Ecosystem Science at the University of Florida. But what happened was that Jill [Baron] moved here, and I helped her move in when she established her study in Rocky Mountain National Park. She convinced me to look into graduate school in Fort Collins. This is where I met Dave Schimel and Bill Parton, who had a project that could fund me, and that was my official start academically with NREL.

But I’m still here because this is a great place to work. I mean, having really great support across the university and such a large ecological community up and down the Front Range – it’s hard to think of where else to go.

What are your main research interests & experiences in the field?

Ecosystem science is the core focus of my work. I started off looking at nutrient interactions and biogeochemistry – that’s how Bill Parton got me involved with the development of the CENTURY model, a simplified model that examines carbon, nitrogen, and grassland ecosystems. The model incorporated some of my PhD research on the impacts of fire on biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling.

Right after I got my PhD, I had the opportunity to help start the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) Secretariat in Stockholm, Sweden, a broad-based research initiative that examined the earth system holistically and integrated a variety of scientific disciplines to better understand and address global environmental change issues. This experience gave me better insight into ecology’s role in the larger context of earth systems and helped launch my career with NASA and NSF, where I focused on global change and its impacts.

What is your favorite memory or project that you’ve experienced at NREL?

One of my favorite projects was a long set of studies in Mongolia in the early 1990s. I collaborated with Chuluun Togtohyn, a Mongolian scientist, on fieldwork that was initially focused on the ecological impact of land use and climate. As we spent more time in Mongolia, we became increasingly involved with pastoral communities, studying their resilience and getting more resources to support their sustainable livelihoods. The project evolved into more of a social-ecological study, where we worked closely with local pastoralists, the government, and different international programs. It was a really rewarding project, and it was fun working together across the disciplines with the people of Mongolia.

You’ve previously served as the NREL Interim Director from 2005-2006. What was that experience like, and how will it inform your experience this time around?

In 2006, when Diana Wall stepped down and John [Moore] was appointed, the landscape was very different. The funding environment was more straightforward, and we had more clarity in terms of financial and political pressures. Today, taking on the helm of Interim Director, many aspects have become more complex. Although we still focus on securing funding and resources for our scientists, the dynamics of funding have shifted, requiring us to navigate a more intricate landscape with diverse sponsors. This broader support allows us to showcase our research across different donor communities, but it also adds layers of complexity to decision-making.

Additionally, CSU’s recent administrative changes have presented new challenges. Rebuilding relationships with key leaders, from the president to the VPR’s office, is essential. I aim to reestablish NREL’s network within CSU and foster collaboration across different levels, both within the university and internationally.

What are your top priorities during your time as Interim Director?

My priorities include reconnecting with the CSU community across other earth system science and social science units. With the challenges we’re facing, I think it’s critical to build interdisciplinary teams to address these emerging problems.

I also want to try to reestablish NREL as the go-to center for advancing ecosystem science, particularly in areas like biogeochemical cycles, social-ecological systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning in ecology. 

I want to coalesce our intellectual capacity in a way that allows us to define emerging research questions and pathways forward in the field. I hope to use the legacy of NREL and our critical mass to support our young researchers and ensure that they’re prepared to lead in the coming years, while continuously refreshing our approach to stay at the forefront of the industry.

How do you plan to facilitate a smooth transition of leadership from John, as well as to the future director?

A big part of my approach is focused on enhancing communication and fostering engagement within the NREL community. I want to facilitate open dialogues through group meetings that encourage feedback and active participation rather than just one-way communication. I also want to document decisions and processes clearly so that there’s a record that can be referenced during and after the transition of leadership. This will help ensure continuity and support our younger professionals in taking on leadership roles.

What qualities and characteristics do you think are essential for the next director to possess?

They should be passionate about ecosystem research and compassionate toward the people they work with, taking the time to be cognizant and responsive to the different levels of stress faced by our research community and staff. They need to be a strong spokesperson for the lab, and be open to collaboration across disciplines, both within and outside the university. Ideally, it should be someone who is capable of bridging the different communities that we’re involved with.

In what ways will you maintain continuity and support for ongoing research projects?

We plan to highlight and connect the work of different research groups by fostering more exposure and collaboration between them. We’ll have our all-NREL meeting where we’ll host lightning talks and panel discussions to showcase ongoing projects and explore emerging research directions. By identifying common themes, like food security, climate, and sustainable agriculture, we can encourage new collaborations and integrative approaches without disrupting current research. This will help support continuity while also creating new opportunities for innovation in the lab.

How do you envision the future of NREL, and what role do you see it playing in addressing current global ecological challenges?

NREL will continue to play a crucial role in addressing global ecological challenges by advancing fundamental research and working in the interdisciplinary space of co-producing knowledge with practitioners. By translating ecosystem science into actionable insights, we can influence social, economic, and political decision-making. A framework of what we understand as ecologists can be incorporated into that level of multi-scale decision-making which society is using to try to understand how to be better stewards of the nature that they live in. Our involvement in national initiatives like the National Nature Assessments highlights our growing recognition, and we must further leverage these opportunities to enhance our impact both nationally and globally.