Jennifer Fill

Research Assistant Scientist, Fire Science

Jen Fill joined the University of Florida IFAS SFFGS as a postdoc in 2018 and accepted a position as Research Assistant Scientist in Dr. Raelene Crandall’s Fire Ecology Lab in 2023. Jen studies the ecology and management of fire and fiery ecosystems around the world, especially old-growth grasslands and savannas. She focuses on studying fundamental ecosystem dynamics to inform how people can sustainably engage with them. This research falls into three general areas:

1) Fire ecology, including the drivers and impacts of fire regimes in ecosystems

2) Plant community ecology, especially how fire regimes affect long-term dynamics and how grasses contribute to flammability and persistence

3) Ecosystem conservation and restoration, including outcomes of different management and conservation approaches

Prior to joining the University, Jen’s PhD work involved the ecology and management of pine savannas in the southeastern USA. She chased her passion for studying snakes, fire, and plants, and volunteered on as many prescribed fires as possible. After finishing her PhD, Jen completed her first postdoc at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. She conducted research on invasive species management and native plant restoration in fynbos, one of the world’s floral kingdoms. She also volunteered as a wildland firefighter with the Volunteer Wildfire Services, and returned to the US to work as a wildland firefighter for a season in 2017.

• Research Interests

  1) Fire ecology, including the drivers and impacts of fire regimes in ecosystems

  2) Plant community ecology, especially how fire regimes affect long-term dynamics and how grasses contribute to flammability and persistence

  3) Ecosystem conservation and restoration, including outcomes of different management and conservation approaches

• Education
  • PhD, Biology, University of South Carolina Columbia, 2015
  • BS, Biology/Wildlife conservation minor, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009
• Publications

  Link to Google Scholar

  Link to Research Gate