Dr. Jacqueline (“Jackie”) Webb, professor emerita of biological sciences, was recently recognized for her contributions to the field of ichthyology (the study of fishes). Her lifelong dedication to research, service, and science was acknowledged by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH), when it awarded Webb the 2024 Robert K. Johnson Award for Excellence in Service. This award recognizes society members who have gone above and beyond making major contributions by offering their time, professional insights, and support to the Society. “I reaped the benefits of belonging to a professional society composed of scientists who were always supportive of my research endeavors starting when I was a graduate student,” Webb says. “Serving the Society through editorial work, mentoring, and leadership gave me the opportunity to pay back the Society for contributing to the success of my career, and in doing so, contribute to the success of the next generation of ichthyologists”.
Webb’s dedication to the fields of ichthyology and sensory biology of fishes is best portrayed through her concluding statement in her December 2023 invited research retrospective published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America: “My work has contributed to our knowledge of the anatomy, development, and evolution of [the mechanosensory lateral line (or LL) system in fish (the flow sensing system found in all fishes)], and has included discoveries that have enhanced our understanding of the importance of the non-visual sensory biology of fishes more generally. The study of anatomy has always been and will continue to be the science of discovery that is fundamental to our understanding of organismal biology and biodiversity at all levels of organization.”
Webb started her research on the evolution and development of fish sensory systems as a graduate student and became a leader in her field, with over 50 publications. She accepted her first faculty position at Villanova University in 1993, and thirteen years later, moved to the University of Rhode Island, established her research lab in the Department of Biological Sciences, and directed the URI Marine Biology Program. Webb has trained 19 graduate students and postdocs, as well as numerous undergraduates. She was awarded the 2020 CELS Research Excellence Award and the 2024 URI Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching. She was also the first recipient of the George and Barbara Young Chair in Biology, which she held from 2016 until her retirement in July 2024.
Webb is a great example of how, whether an early career scientist or experienced scholar, one can contribute a wealth of new information to the scientific community. The University of Rhode Island’s motto is Think big. We do. At this university, both students and faculty alike are encouraged to become active, engaged, and collaborative scientists and scholars in their respective fields. Students are provided opportunities to work alongside faculty on groundbreaking research, and make meaningful contributions to their field of study. Webb’s career is a success story that illustrates how the doors of possibility are opened to those who are persistent, driven by curiosity, and allow themselves to embrace, what she might add, a little serendipity.
Dr. Webb retired from University of Rhode Island on July 1, 2024. However, she will continue her research program and use her URI email address for student or faculty correspondence.
Written by Yvonne Wingard, CELS Communications Fellow