EXTENDED PROFILE OF PROFESSOR STUART HURLBERT

Professor Stuart Hurlbert, Professor Emeritus of Biology at San Diego State University, is an ecologist, biostatistician, and public intellectual, best known for his pioneering work in experimental design and lake ecology, as well as his outspoken advocacy on environmental population issues. Over a distinguished academic career spanning more than four decades, Hurlbert has left a profound mark on ecological science and scientific discourse, both in the United States and internationally.

Hurlbert earned his B.A. from Amherst College in 1961 before going on to complete a Ph.D. in ecology at Cornell University in 1968. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Department of Biology at San Diego State University (SDSU), where he would remain for the bulk of his professional life. As a professor of biology, he became deeply involved in both teaching and research, guiding generations of students through subjects ranging from general ecology and limnology to experimental design and mathematical ecology.

His research interests have been remarkably broad, yet consistently rooted in empirical rigor and methodological clarity. Hurlbert’s most widely known and cited contribution is his landmark 1984 paper, ‘Pseudoreplication and the Design of Ecological Field Experiments’. In this work, he critiqued common statistical flaws in ecological research and introduced concepts that would transform how field experiments are designed and interpreted. This publication alone earned him the G.W. Snedecor Award from the American Statistical Association for the best paper in biometry that year and cemented his reputation as a methodological innovator; it was the most cited ecology paper from 1970 to 1999, and in 2017 Nature Ecology & Evolution listed it in an article titled ‘100 articles every ecologist should read’. Hurlbert's 1984 paper was recognized as one of the top 20 most notable papers published in Ecological Monographs, as part of the Ecological Society of America’s 100th anniversary in 2016. (In an interview titled ‘Revisiting Hurlbert 1984 – Reflections on Papers Past’, by Hari Sridhar of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in India, Hurlbert discusses this landmark paper and its enduring relevance in ecology.)

Over the years, Hurlbert expanded his research to include a variety of ecological topics. His work on the Salton Sea in California stands out as a prime example of applied ecological science. As Director of SDSU’s Center for Inland Waters from 1996 to 2008, he led investigations into the sea’s complex water chemistry, algal dynamics, fish populations, and bird life, with a view toward informing environmental restoration efforts. He also conducted fieldwork in the high Andes, exploring the ecology of saline lakes and studying the interactions among flamingos, fish, and plankton. This work reflected his enduring fascination with how ecosystems function under extreme conditions and how human activities alter those dynamics.

Hurlbert’s contributions have not gone unrecognized. In 2003, he received the Award for Scientific Reviewing from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, honoring his ability to synthesize complex bodies of scientific literature in a clear and impactful way. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and has served as a member of several other prominent scientific societies.

Beyond his academic research, Hurlbert has been an influential figure in the public sphere. He is the Founding President of Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization (SEPS), an organization advocating for the scientific community to take a more active role in addressing the environmental consequences of U.S. population growth. He has frequently argued that population size and immigration policy are central – though often neglected – factors in environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.

His candid positions on these issues have led to both praise and criticism. In 2020, he was at the center of a campus controversy when students at SDSU petitioned to have his emeritus status revoked due to his comments on immigration and race. The incident sparked a larger debate about academic freedom and whether holding politically unpopular views should affect one’s standing within the academy.

Despite the controversy, Hurlbert has continued to write, speak, and advocate on ecological and policy matters. His later academic work includes critiques of one-tailed statistical tests and further explorations into experimental design – a field he helped shape decades earlier. He has also remained active in public science forums, giving lectures and writing essays that blend empirical rigor with policy relevance.

Since 2022, Hurlbert has been a prominent advocate of Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith’s treatise on the human condition, stating that on reading Griffith’s work that he was “stunned and honored to have lived to see the coming of ‘Darwin II’.”

Hurlbert’s legacy lies not only in the volume and quality of his scientific publications but also in his commitment to intellectual independence and methodological integrity. Whether investigating the ecological balance of hypersaline lakes or challenging scientists to confront politically sensitive issues, Hurlbert has exemplified the role of the engaged scholar – unyielding in his pursuit of truth, fearless in the face of controversy, and steadfast in his belief that science should serve both knowledge and society.

Professor Hurlbert is married with one son who is a Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

HONORS AND AWARDS

• 1984:   American Statistical Association, G.W. Snedecor Award for best publication in biometry
• 1985:   Biometrics Society, Presenter of President’s Invited Paper, Annual Meeting
• 1985, 1988:   SDSU Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Award
• 1989:   American Association for the Advancement of Science, Election as Fellow
• 1994 - 1999:   International Society for Salt Lake Research, President
• 1995:   Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Adelaide, Australia
• 1996:   Teacher/Scholar Award, Department of Biology, SDSU
• 1998:   Distinguished Ecological Statistician Award, International Ecological Association
• 1999:   ‘Top 25’ Awardee for Contributions to SDSU, Office of the President, San Diego State University
• 2000-2012:   Californians for Population Stabilization, Secretary of the Board
• 2002:   Selection by Institute for Scientific Information as one of the 247 most highly cited environmental scientists in the world
• 2003:   National Academy of Sciences, Award for Scientific Reviewing
• 2012:   Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization, President

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Hurlbert, S. H. (1971). The nonconcept of species diversity: a critique and alternative parameters. Ecology 52 (4), 577-586.
• Hurlbert, S. H., Zedler J., Fairbanks, D. (1972). Ecosystem alteration by mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) predation. Science 175 (4022), 639-641.
• Hurlbert, S. H. (1978). The measurement of niche overlap and some relatives. Ecology 59 (1), 67-77.
• Hurlbert, S. H., Mulla, M.S. (1981). Impacts of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) predation on plankton communities. Hydrobiologia 83 (1), 125-151.
• Hurlbert, S. H. (1984). Pseudoreplication and the design of ecological field experiments. Ecological monographs 54 (2), 187-211.
• Hurlbert, S. H. (1990). Spatial distribution of the montane unicorn. Oikos 257-271
• Lombardi, C.M., Hurlbert, S.H. (2009). Misprescription and misuse of one-tailed tests. Austral Ecology 34 (4), 447–468.
• Hurlbert, S. H. (2009). The ancient black art and transdisciplinary extent of pseudoreplication. Journal of Comparative Psychology 123 (4), 434-443.
• Hurlbert, S. H. (2013). Critical Need for Modification of U.S. Population Policy. Conservation Biology 27(4), 887-889.
• Hurlbert, S.H., Levine, R.A., Utts, J. (2019). Coup de Grâce for a Tough Old Bull: “Statistically Significant” Expires. The American Statistician 73 (1), 352-357.

For more information regarding Professor Hurlbert’s academic career, including a comprehensive list of his publications and reports, please see his Curriculum Vitae page on this website, and for further verification please visit the following websites:

San Diego State University profile
ResearchGate
Google Scholar
Academia
National Association of Scholars
Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization