Rate My Professor Bruce Maxwell

Bruce Maxwell, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University, is a leading figure in Agricultural and Veterinary Science, renowned for his work in weed ecology and agroecology. He earned a B.S. in Botany from Montana State University in 1977, an M.S. in Agronomy/Weed Science from Montana State University in 1984, and a Ph.D. in Forest Ecology and Crop Science from Oregon State University in 1990. Maxwell's academic career began as Assistant Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota from 1990 to 1992. He joined Montana State University as Associate Professor in the Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science Department from 1992 to 2001, was promoted to Professor in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences in 2002, and served as Interim Department Head from 2008 to 2009. A faculty affiliate in the Ecology Department since 1995, he has mentored numerous graduate students and led interdisciplinary initiatives.

Maxwell's research specializes in applied plant ecology, including agroecology, invasive plant ecology, weed biology, plant population and community modeling, crop-weed competition, herbicide resistance evolution, economic thresholds for weeds, and adaptive management strategies for annual and perennial weeds in crop and natural ecosystems. His recent focus involves designing on-farm experimentation frameworks using precision agriculture technologies to improve profitability and sustainability of small grain production in the Northern Great Plains. As lead author for the Agricultural Sector of the Montana Climate Assessment, he addresses climate impacts on agriculture. Maxwell has received major awards from the Weed Science Society of America, including Graduate Student of the Year in 1989, Outstanding Paper in Weed Technology in 1991, and Outstanding Teacher Award in 2004, as well as a 2007 Fulbright Senior Specialist Award to teach in Argentina. His highly cited publications include "Elk alter habitat selection as an antipredator response to wolves" (Ecology, 2005; 969 citations), "Navigating a critical juncture for sustainable weed management" (BioScience, 2012; 532 citations), "Ecological Causes and Consequences of Demographic Change in the New West" (BioScience, 2002; 438 citations), "Predicting the evolution and dynamics of herbicide resistance in weed populations" (Weed Technology, 1990; 374 citations), and "On-farm experimentation to transform global agriculture" (Nature Food, 2022; 274 citations), amassing over 10,000 citations. He has secured grants exceeding $6 million and contributed to service on committees, editorial boards, and projects on invasive species and land use change.