Dr. Hughes is a Professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences (MES). She joined Northeastern in 2013, after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Public Policy Analysis at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of California-Davis, where she also conducted postdoctoral research. Her research focuses on understanding the ecological and social causes and consequences of biodiversity change, and applying that knowledge to the conservation and restoration of marine systems.
In her tenure at the university, Dr. Hughes has demonstrated a consistent focus and accomplishment towards promoting diversity and inclusion. She created and chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in MES from 2017-202, and she has served on the College of Science Diversity Committee since 2018. Dr. Hughes has also prioritized efforts to enhance representation in her field and to develop meaningful engagement with diverse audiences to convey the process and value of science.
Publications
Videos
In The News
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Women in Science: Sentinels for Biodiversity
Part 1: The Marine Science Center is highlighting faculty who are advancing scientific knowledge and removing barriers for the next generation of women in STEM. -
This Soup Kitchen Needed Help. The Marine Science Center Faculty Delivered.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced My Brother’s Table, the largest soup kitchen on Massachusetts’ North Shore, to change how it serves guests, the community at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center took note, and stepped up. -
Announcing the Associate Dean for Equity
Professor Randall Hughes will serve as the first Associate Dean for Equity in the Northeastern College of Science. -
‘To Benefit the Earth and Those Upon It.’ Announcing the 2020 Muckenhoupt Scholarship Winners.
Congratulations to Allison Noble and Haley Bayne, this year’s recipients of the Dr. Carl Muckenhoupt Scholarship! -
The Sum Total: A Collection of COVID-19 Stories Across COS
When COVID-19 emerged as global threat, it demanded action. The Northeastern College of Science heard the call. Read the stories of the COS community doing their part to fight the pandemic. -
Mapping Black Mangroves Along the Gulf: MSC Researchers Receive Grant to Grow Coastal Resilience
Thanks to a grant from the National Academies Gulf Research Program, Randall Hughes and Steven Scyphers will embark on a research project to examine range expansion of the black mangrove in the northern Gulf of Mexico. -
Cuttlefish and Co-ops: A Conversation with Marine Biology Major Gwendolyn McManus
Marine Biology student Gwendolyn McManus chatted with our team recently about her work as a co-op at Marine Biological Laboratory, her recent publication, and her current projects. -
College of Science Connects: Research at the Frontier of Marine & Estuarine Systems
Listen to Hazel Sive, Dean of the College of Science, as she talks to Randall Hughes, Associate Dean for Equity and Associate Professor of Marine & Environmental Sciences as part of the Women Who Empower International Women's Day Celebration. -
College of Science recognizes inaugural Excellence in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice Faculty Awards
Congratulations to the inaugural awardees of the COS Excellence in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice Faculty Award: Dr. Jennifer Bowen, Associate Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences; Dr. Wendy Smith, Professor, Biology; and Dr. Xuwen Zhu, Assistant Professor, Math. These faculty have shown their deep commitment to fostering equity and inclusion in the College of Science and beyond. -
Advancing Women in Science 2022 Scholars
Congratulations to the five undergraduate students who have been named 2022 Advancing Women in Science Scholars! -
#YouAreWelcomeHere – A Safe Space For All
The You Are Welcome Here (YAWH) campaign is an initiative to display acceptance and support for LGBTQIA+ members of the Marine and Environmental Sciences (MES) community. -
BEACHES program participants meet at Northeastern’s Nahant campus to navigate their paths to graduate school and to science
The BEACHES program, hosted by Northeastern’s Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, brought an incredible cohort of student researchers to the Nahant Campus last week for an immersive discussion about what their next steps will be. BEACHES (Bridging Each Applicant’s Chances for Higher Ed Success) has been held for several years at Northeastern; after a COVID pause, the program resumed last June with a cohort of 9 students; this year, it grew to 13, with dozens more in the competitive applicant pool. BEACHES is an all-expense paid 3-day boot camp with the goal of demystifying the graduate school application process; the program is supported by the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences; continued funding for the program was secured from NSF (DEB 2203322) last year by Drs. Jen Bowen and Randall Hughes and through a COS faculty excellence award in EDIJ awarded to Bowen. -
Research
From eelgrass on the West Coast to salt marshes on the East Coast, Northeastern professor Randall Hughes shows expertise
Randall Hughes, Northeastern professor of marine and environmental sciences, has been recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science as a 2024 lifetime fellow.