Hungate’s research focuses on the ecology and management of global change, and microbial ecology from humans to the globe. His research occurs in grasslands, woodlands, forests, and rivers. He uses experiments, models, and data syntheses to understand how ecosystems respond to global change.
He co-founded the Professional Science Masters’ degree program in Climate Science and Solutions at Northern Arizona University. He is an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow (2004), and a member of several honors societies: Phi Beta Kappa (1990), Sigma Xi (1999), and Phi Kappa Phi (2006).
Through teaching, research and outreach, Hungate hopes to raise awareness of the role of earth system science for managing global environmental change.