David Tilman has a dual appointment at the Bren School and the University of Minnesota, where he is Regents' Professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology and Director of the university’s Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. His research focuses on the causes, consequences, and conservation of Earth’s biodiversity, and on how managed and natural ecosystems can sustainably meet human needs for food, energy, and ecosystem services. His current research explores ways to use biodiversity as a tool for biofuel production and climate stabilization through carbon sequestration.