Joy K. Ward

Dr. Ward holds three degrees - a bachelors, masters, and PhD. She received her bachelor's degree in Biology from Penn State University in 1991. Moving to Durham, she completed her masters degree in Botany in 1994 at Duke. This was quickly followed by a PhD, also from Duke, in Botany that was completed in 1997.(2)

Dr. Ward’s primary research interests focus on how plants adapt to changing environments and conditions. As global warming has become a prevalent issue for all, Dr. Ward has directed her research to understanding how specific species of plants react to changes in the atmospheric concentration of Carbon Dioxide. Utilizing a holistic approach to her research, Dr. Ward is interested in understanding these changes on multiple levels - molecularly, physiologically, and evolutionary. Dr. Ward is better able to understand the long-term impacts of atmospheric changes by utilizing fossil records in her research. Understanding how plants have adapted to environmental shifts in the past is an integral part of Dr. Ward’s research. With her arsenal of knowledge, Dr. Ward hopes to be able to contribute ideas and strategies for conserving and ensuring the health of earth's currently thriving ecosystems. 

2020—Present: Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University

2015—2020: Dean’s Professor of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Kansas

2015—2020: Professor with tenure, University of Kansas, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (courtesy appointment in Environmental Studies)

2009—2015: Associate Professor with tenure, University of Kansas, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (courtesy appointment in Environmental Studies)

2006—2016: Inaugural Thelma and Edward Wohlgemuth Faculty Scholar Award. Endowed chair for early-career faculty, University of Kansas

2003—2009: Assistant Professor, University of Kansas, Department of Ecology &  Evolutionary Biology

1998—2003: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Utah, Department of Biology

1997—1998: Postdoctoral fellow, University of West Virginia and Duke University,  Department(s) of Biology  

*All positions have been uploaded from Dr. Joy Ward’s Curriculum Vitae(3)

2016—2017: Women of Distinction Award, University of Kansas

2015: K. Barbara Schowen Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, University of Kansas

2012—2013: Member of a U.S. delegation to Uzbekistan following a technology  agreement through Hillary Clinton; sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the U.S. State Department, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

2011—Present: National Academy of Sciences, Frontiers of Science, U.S. Chair “These symposia have become a major instrument in bringing together the best young researchers- the next generation of  leaders- in the natural sciences and engineering fields, in the U.S. and around the world.” National Academy of Sciences

Arab-American Frontiers of Science

Participant in 2011 Symposium (Kuwait)

Planning Member for the 2014 Symposium (Oman)

U.S. Chair for the 2015 Symposium (Saudi Arabia)

Japanese-American Frontiers of Science

Participant in 2010 Symposium (Japan)

Planning Member for the 2014 Symposium (U.S.)

U.S. Chair for the 2014 Symposium (Japan)

2011: Named as a top scientist in Kansas history by the Ad Astra Initiative

2010—Present: Kavli Fellow: Selected by the Kavli Board and the National Academy  of Sciences

2009: Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE); Conferred personally by President Obama on January 13,  2010 in the White House “This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government  on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers” White House press release

2009: Lawrence, KS Chamber of Commerce, KU Stars Award 2008—2015: National Science Foundation CAREER Award

2006—2015: Thelma and Edward Wohlgemuth Faculty Scholar Award

1998—1999: American Association of University Women (AAUW). American Post doctoral Fellowship

1997: Perry Prize for the Dissertation of Greatest Distinction. Duke  University, Department of Botany

1997: Sigma Xi Travel Award, Duke University

1991: Hammond Science Scholarship, Penn State University

1991: Amos William and Annie Martha Unger Memorial Scholarship, Penn State University

1988: Pennsylvania State Fair Queen scholarship- University tuition scholarship

*All Awards & Honors  have been uploaded from Dr. Joy Ward’s Curriculum Vitae(3)

• McLean BS, JK Ward, MJ Polito, SD Emslie. In press. Responses of alpine herbaceous plant assemblages to low glacial [CO2] revealed by fossil marmot Marmota) teeth. Oecologia
• Fuller BT, SM Fahrni, JM Harris, A Farrell, JB Coltrain, LM Gerhart, JK Ward, RE Taylor, JR Southon. In press. Ultrafiltration for asphalt removal from bone collagen for radiocarbon dating and isotopic analysis of Pleistocene fauna at the tar pits of Rancho La Brea. Quaternary Geochronology
• Voelker, S.L., R. Brooks, F.C. Meinzer, R. Andeson, M. K-F Bader, G. Battipaglia, K.M. Becklin, D. Beerling, D. Bert, J.L. Beltancourt, T.E. Dawson, J. -C Domec, R.P. Guyette, C. Koerner, S.W. Leavitt, S. Linder, J.D. Marshall, M. Mildner, I. Panyushkina, H.J. Plumpton, K.S. Pregitzer, M. Saurer, A.R Smith, R.T.W. Siegwolf, M.C. Stambaugh, A.F. Talhelm, J.C. Tardif, P.K. Van de Water, J.K. Ward, and L. Wingate. 2015. A dynamic leaf gas-exchange strategy is conserved in woody plats under changing [C0₂] enrichment studies. Global Change Biology 22(2): 889-902.
• Becklin KM, JS Medeiros, K Sale, *JK Ward. 2014. Evolutionary history underlies plant physiological responses to global change since the Last Glacial Maximum. Ecology Letters: 17: 691-699
• Basheer-salimia R, JK Ward. 2014. Climate change and its effects on olive tree physiology in Palestine. Review Of Research: 3: 1-7
• Medeiros JS, JK Ward. 2013. Increasing atmospheric [CO₂] from glacial to future concentrations affects drought tolerance via impacts on leaves, xylem and their integrated function. New Phytologist: 199: 738-748.
• Ward, J. K., D. S. Roy, I. Chatterjee, C. R. Bone, C. J. Springer, and J. K. Kelly. 2012. "Identification of a major QTL that alters flowering time at elevated [CO₂] in Arabidopsis thaliana" PLoS ONE. 7. e49028.
• Gerhart, L. M., J. M. Harris, J. B. Nippert, D. R. Sandquist, and J. K. Ward. 2012. "Glacial trees from the La Brea tar pits show physiological constraints of low CO₂" New Phytologist. 194. 63-69.
• Gerhart, L. M. and J. K. Ward. 2010. "Plant Responses to low [CO₂] of the past. Tansley Review" New Phytologist. 188. 674-695.
• Nippert, J. B., J. J. Butler, G. J. Kluitenberg, D. O. Whittemore, D. Arnold, S. E. Spal, and J. K. Ward. 2010. "Patterns of Tamarix water use during a record drought" Oecologia. 162. 283-292.
• Nippert, J. B., M. B. Hooten, D. R. Sandquist, and J. K. Ward. 2010. "A Bayesian model for predicting El Niño events using tree-ring widths and cellulose δ¹⁸O" Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 115. G01011.
• Gonzalez-Meler, M. A., E. Blanc-Betes, C. E. Flower, J. K. Ward, and N. Gomez-Casanovas. 2009. "Plastic and adaptive responses of plant respiration to changes in atmospheric CO₂ concentration" Physiologia Plantarum. 137. 473-484.
• Ward, J. K., D. A. Myers, and R. B. Thomas. 2008. "Physiological and growth responses of C₃ and C₄ plants to reduced temperature when grown at low CO₂ of the last ice age" Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 50. 1388-1395.
• Marchin RM, EL Sage, JK Ward. 2008. Population-level variation of Fraxinus americana L. (white ash) is influenced by precipitation differences across the native range. Tree Physiology 28: 151-159
• Springer CJ, JK Ward. 2007. Flowering time and elevated CO₂. Tansley Review. New Phytologist 176: 243-255
• Ward, J. K.. 2005. "Evolution and growth of plants in a low CO₂ world" A History of Atmospheric CO₂ and Its Effects on Plants, Animals, and Ecosystems. edited by Ehleringer, J. R., T. E. Cerling, and D. Dearing. 232-257.
• Ward, J. K., J. M. Harris, T. E. Cerling, A. Wiedenhoeft, M. J. Lott, M. Dearing, J. B. Coltrain, and J. R. Ehleringer. 2005. "Carbon starvation in glacial trees recovered from the La Brea tar pits" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 102. 690-694.
• Ward, J. K. and J. K. Kelly. 2004. "Scaling up evolutionary responses to elevated CO₂: lessons from Arabidopsis" Ecology Letters. 7. 427-440.

1. https://eeb.ku.edu/joy-k-ward
2. https://sites.google.com/site/joywardlab/people/joy-ward
3. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwdGX6p11WBDNV9DSjVEb01vRjQ/view

• Curriculum vitae