Jens-Christian Svenning - Biography#

Jens-Christian Svenning (b. 1970, Horsens, Denmark) is a Professor of Ecology at Aarhus University and Director of the Danish National Research Foundation’s Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO). He is internationally recognized for his contributions to biodiversity dynamics, global change ecology, macroecology, and rewilding science. Integrating cutting-edge field studies, ecoinformatics, and remote sensing, Svenning addresses the pressing ecological challenges of the Anthropocene.

Svenning holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from Aarhus University (1999) and has since advanced through key academic positions, culminating in his leadership of research centers such as the Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE, 2017–2023) and now ECONOVO (2023–2028). Under his leadership, these centers have spearheaded innovative approaches to understanding and managing ecological systems under rapid environmental change.

An exceptionally prolific scholar, Svenning has authored over 600 peer-reviewed publications, including multiple high-impact articles in Science, Nature, and PNAS. His work has been cited over 60,000 times (H-index >100, Google Scholar), making him one of the world’s most influential ecologists. He has been a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher annually since 2018 and was ranked among the top global climate scientists on the Reuters Hot List (2021).

Svenning has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Alexander von Humboldt Medal for Excellence in Vegetation Science (2025), Carlsberg Foundation Research Prize (2023), the Ernst Haeckel Prize (2022), and the Villum Kann Rasmussen Annual Award in Science and Technology (2021), Denmark’s largest individual research award. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters and the Danish Academy of Natural Sciences, reflecting his substantial contributions to scientific excellence and impact.

He is a dedicated mentor and capacity builder, having supervised >50 PhD students, >100 master’s students, and >30 bachelor’s students, alongside mentoring >60 postdoctoral researchers. Svenning has a strong commitment to global equity in science, with significant efforts dedicated to training and collaborating with researchers from the Global South.

In addition to his academic and mentorship roles, Svenning is a member of the Danish Biodiversity Council, where he advises on national biodiversity strategies and contributes to evidence-based policymaking. His research spans ecosystems worldwide, with a particular focus on the role of large herbivores in shaping ecosystems and the transformative potential of rewilding to address biodiversity loss and climate change.

Through his groundbreaking research, extensive mentorship, and public engagement, Svenning continues to shape ecological science and influence conservation strategies at a global scale, making him a leading figure in the field of ecology and biodiversity.