The Hellmann Lab strives to: 

• Understand ecological responses to climate and other environmental changes
• Develop strategies to help people and ecosystems reverse or adapt to these changes
• Engage in regular dialog with the public to implement such strategies. 

Specifically, we do field and laboratory experiments, develop conceptual theories and mathematical models, use genomic techniques, and explore the impacts of climatic change to test fundamental processes in ecology and evolution, reveal ecological responses to global change, and form management strategies to improve management of natural resources. Much of the work in our lab aims to predict changes in the geographic distribution of species and explores methods to help species and people adjust to climate change, particularly in insect and plant systems. We often find working with Lepidoptera fun and insightful, including endangered species like the Karner Blue butterfly. 

The lab also leverages our knowledge of ecology and climate science to do interdisciplinary and applied research in climate change adaptation, often with stakeholders in agencies and industry. Adaptation is about reducing the effects of climate change on ecological and humans systems through new and improved management techniques. Our adaptation research coincides with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, a Center hosted at the UMN and pursued in collaboration with the USGS and several other organizations across the region. 

Finally, all of the work of the Hellmann lab overlaps with the Institute on the Environment that Hellmann directs.