Darryl Jones is Professor at Griffith University's Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, specializing in behavioral ecology and human-wildlife interactions. His research examines urban ecosystems, wildlife conflict resolution, and conservation strategies, with particular emphasis on bird ecology and road infrastructure impacts. Professor Jones has authored influential books including 'Feeding the Birds at Your Table' and 'A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road' that bridge scientific research and public engagement. His work explores: Wildlife responses to urbanization Bird feeding practices and consequences Road ecology and mitigation design Human dimensions of conservation Koala-vehicle collision patterns Recent publications document COVID-19's impact on global bird feeding behaviors, analyze 20-year trends in koala road mortality, and evaluate LED streetlight effects on urban wildlife. He leads research on dingo population viability in Fraser Island and develops innovative wildlife monitoring technologies like the open-source WildWID RFID system. Professor Jones collaborates extensively with government agencies on conservation policy and has secured funding for projects examining wildlife crossing infrastructure effectiveness. His research informs evidence-based approaches to human-wildlife coexistence in rapidly changing landscapes.
Peter A. Raymond is the Oastler Professor of Biogeochemistry at Yale University's School of the Environment and Department of Geology and Geophysics. He serves as Senior Associate Dean of Research & Director of Doctoral Studies and is Co-Director of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. Raymond leads the Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab, which investigates the biogeochemistry of inland waters, enhanced weathering, methane cycling, and blue carbon systems through cutting-edge field, laboratory, and modeling approaches. Education B.S., Marist College Ph.D., College of William and Mary/Virginia Institute of Marine Science Research Focus Raymond's research fundamentally reshapes our understanding of carbon cycling in aquatic systems, demonstrating that rivers serve as dynamic conduits rather than passive pipes in the global carbon cycle. His work examines how biology and watershed variables alter carbon chemistry in streams, rivers, and estuaries, with particular emphasis on understanding global carbon cycles in relation to climate change. Raymond employs radiocarbon measurements to explore the age and turnover of carbon in aquatic ecosystems, revealing that rivers are variable sources of both old and young terrestrial dissolved organic carbon to oceans. The Raymond Lab is particularly known for developing the Pulse-Shunt Concept, which challenges traditional views of riverine biogeochemistry by emphasizing the episodic and dynamic nature of elemental fluxes. Current research directions include enhanced weathering and alkalinity studies for carbon removal, global greenhouse gas budgets through projects like RECCAP 2, natural methane cycling in aquatic systems, and blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and salt marshes. Publication Trends Raymond's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on global carbon and methane cycling, with particular attention to inland water systems' role in the Earth's climate system. His work increasingly integrates large-scale datasets with field measurements to understand how climate change and human activities affect greenhouse gas emissions from rivers and streams. A significant portion of his recent work contributes to international efforts like the Global Carbon Project, aiming to refine estimates of global carbon and methane fluxes. His research also shows growing emphasis on carbon removal strategies, particularly enhanced rock weathering through the Earthshot-funded GOAL-A project, and their potential for climate mitigation. Scientific Recognition Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering Coastal and Estuarine Research Federations Cronin Award for Young Scientists ISI highly cited author Past Editor and Chief of the American Geophysical Union's journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles Mentorship and Funding Professor Raymond currently mentors four doctoral students (Jon Gewirtzman, Shou-En "Samuel" Tsao, Benjamin Saalidong, and Mingyu Zhang) and masters student Bella Garrioch. His research is supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), including CAREER awards, and participation in the Earthshot-funded GOAL-A (Global Ocean And Land Alkalinization) project. Raymond has also been involved in significant collaborative projects with USGS data to research how climate and land use change alter carbon export from US watersheds, and with Lamont Doherty to develop methods for measuring air-sea gas exchange of CO2 in rivers and estuaries. Research Infrastructure The Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab at Yale is a dynamic research group comprising research scientists, postdocs, doctoral and masters students, and postgraduate researchers. The lab recently acquired a Mini Carbon Dating System (MICADAS) at Yale, significantly expanding their research capabilities in ecosystem carbon turnover and verification of natural climate solutions. The lab collaborates globally on projects in the Arctic, Hudson River, and middle Atlantic Bight, and is actively involved in the NASA Carbon Monitoring System BlueFlux field campaign to assess carbon exchange in coastal wetlands.
Kären Wigen is the Frances and Charles Field Professor in History at Stanford University, specializing in Japanese history and the history of cartography. She holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley (1990). Her research spans: Historical geography of East Asia Early modern Japanese regional economies Geographies of the imagination Transnational maritime histories Critical cartography and spatial analysis Her publications include eight major works from 1992-2025 analyzing spatial transformations in Japan and global metageography, with recent projects focusing on temporal dimensions in cartographic representation. She co-edited Seascapes (2007) and Cartographic Japan (2016), and serves as Director of Stanford’s Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in the Humanities since 2022.
Reade Davis is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Nipissing University's Faculty of Arts and Science, specializing in environmental anthropology and political economy. Research examines: Fisheries management and aquaculture conflicts Neoliberal impacts on small-scale fisheries Protected area conservation politics Risk construction and commodity chains Historical memory in Eastern North America Publications critically analyze marine conservation in Newfoundland, industrial aquaculture resistance, and the socioeconomic effects of gambling in rural communities. His work employs ethnographic methods to document how coastal communities navigate environmental policy changes and economic restructuring. Regional expertise covers Newfoundland and Labrador and Eastern Ontario. Education includes: PhD and MA, Memorial University BA(Hons) and BA, Queen's University
Carol Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil & Physical Sciences at Lincoln University, New Zealand, where she serves as Head of Department since 2017. She has been an elected academic staff member of the Lincoln University Council from 2018-2022. Dr. Smith holds a PhD from the University of Aberdeen, an MSc from the University of Reading, and a BSc(Hons) from the University of Portsmouth, forming the foundation of her expertise in soil science and physical geography. Her research spans both fundamental and applied aspects of pedology. On the fundamental side, she investigates Quaternary pedology and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using loess stratigraphy, geomorphology, and micromorphology, which provides critical data for verifying future climate change predictive models. Applied research focuses on sustainable use of recycled organic matter and rehabilitation of degraded soils. She collaborates internationally on multidisciplinary projects involving paleoclimate reconstruction, paleoliquefaction, Antarctic soils, and viticulture. Dr. Smith is passionate about teaching and science communication, employing experiential learning methods to develop practical field skills in soil science through 'soil judging competitions' in New Zealand and Australia. Her research addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals including Life on Land (15), Climate Action (13), and Quality Education (4). Among her notable recognitions are the Norman H Taylor Memorial award 2020 from the New Zealand Society of Soil Science for outstanding contributions to soil science in New Zealand and Fellowship in the Royal Geographical Society, London. She serves as Associate Editor of Natural Sciences Education and was previously editor of Quaternary Australasia. Dr. Smith has supervised numerous graduate students through research-based supervision, with completed projects covering diverse topics from soil patterns in Southland to Antarctic soil ecology. She teaches advanced courses in field research, soil science, and physical landscapes, and has developed innovative approaches to teaching during the pandemic, including virtual field trips.
Prof. Dr. Ina Christin Meier serves as Head of Department and Head of Research Unit for Functional Forest Ecology at the University of Hamburg, within the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences. She is affiliated with the Institute of Wood Sciences (Institut für Holzwissenschaften) in the Department of Biology, where she leads research on forest ecosystem responses to global environmental changes at Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg. Dr. Meier's research focuses on the impacts of global change factors —including increasing atmospheric CO 2 concentration, summer drought, nitrogen deposition, and intensified management—on the biogeochemistry and biodiversity of temperate, boreal, Mediterranean, and global forest biomes. Her work spans functional ecology of forest trees and grasslands , interactions between roots, mycorrhizal fungi and soil , ecophysiology , and long-term changes in forest ecosystems . She has made significant contributions to understanding root carbon allocation, tropical forest responses to climate change, and the role of mycorrhizal relationships in forest ecosystems. Analysis of Dr. Meier's publication record reveals a strong emphasis on belowground ecology and global change biology , with particular attention to root systems across diverse biomes. Her research bridges plant physiology, ecosystem ecology, and climate science, often synthesizing data from multiple studies to identify broader patterns. She frequently investigates how carbon allocation to root exudates affects soil sequestration and drought response, and has developed important frameworks for understanding root trait responses to multiple global change drivers. Dr. Meier actively collaborates with international research teams across continents. Her work on Nature's Contributions to People has demonstrated that securing essential ecosystem services requires maintaining at least 20-25% semi-natural habitat in human-modified landscapes. She also investigates the chemical complexity of root exudates and their ecological significance, contributing methodological advances to this challenging area of research.
Jacob Bukoski is Assistant Professor and Director of the Forests and Climate Change graduate certificate at Oregon State University's College of Forestry. His research examines forest carbon dynamics, climate mitigation, and international forestry. Education includes: PhD in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley MS in Environmental Science from Yale University BA in Environmental Studies from UNC Chapel Hill Research focuses on carbon accumulation in forests, mangrove conservation, and climate policy integration. Teaches interdisciplinary courses on social-ecological systems and forest carbon analysis. Recent publications quantify carbon storage in global plantations and mangrove ecosystems. Current projects investigate albedo impacts on reforestation protocols and coastal conservation synergies. Directs graduate studies in Forests and Climate Change.
Matthew D. Potts is the S.J. Hall Chair in Forest Economics and Professor at UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management. He also serves as Associate Director for Sustainable Development at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. With interdisciplinary training in mathematics, ecology, and economics, his research focuses on nature-based climate solutions and ecosystem service co-production. Research addresses carbon sequestration through forest management, biodiversity conservation, land use planning, and sustainable development in tropical ecosystems. Recent work examines cost-effectiveness of reforestation, climate-driven migration patterns, and plantation carbon modeling. Publications demonstrate strong focus on quantitative analysis of land-use impacts, with methodological innovations in remote sensing applications and spatial modeling for carbon accounting. Awards include recognition for young faculty research and leadership in international environmental assessments. Leads the Potts Research Group, mentoring graduate students working on tropical ecology, restoration, and climate adaptation projects.
Prita Meier is an Associate Professor of Art History at New York University's College of Arts & Science , affiliated with the Department of Art History & the Institute of Fine Arts. Her work bridges African art history, Indian Ocean world studies, and global modernity frameworks. Education: Ph.D. (2007) in History of Art, Harvard University M.A. (2000) in History of Art, University of Iowa B.A. (1996) in Art History, University of Florida Research Interests focus on the visual and architectural cultures of Africa, particularly Swahili Coast port cities, exploring globalization's cultural dimensions, Islamic art, and photography histories. Her work interrogates spatial-temporal dynamics in African modernity and colonial art frameworks. Scientific Awards include CASVA Senior Fellowship, NEH Implementation Grant (with Allyson Purpura), Mellon Collaborative Grant (with Kenny Cupers), Clark Art Institute Residential Fellowship, and Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship. Notably, she declined the National Humanities Center Fellowship and Stanford Humanities Fellows Program. Publications highlight Indian Ocean trade networks, Swahili Coast architecture, and photography's global circulation. Recent works (2020-2017) examine infrastructure as identity, oceanic materiality, and itinerant art historiography. Earlier articles (2016-2009) analyze porcelain trade, modernist discontents, and Swahili funerary practices. Contact: spm9@nyu.edu | 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003
Nicole M. Gasparini is an Associate Professor in Tulane University's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Science & Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. from MIT (2003) and researches fluvial/tectonic geomorphology, landscape evolution modeling, and climate-erosion interactions using tools like Landlab. Her work investigates sediment transport, river network evolution, and human impacts on landscapes. Research integrates field data with numerical models to quantify erosion processes across diverse environments. Publications demonstrate expertise in geomorphic model development, particularly through contributions to the Landlab toolkit. Recent articles focus on climatic controls on erosion, fault geomorphology, and uncertainty quantification in earth-surface models. Awards: Marguerite T. Williams Award for contributions to geosciences and advocacy against harassment in STEM Leads collaborative projects on landscape response to climate change and mentors students/postdocs in geomorphology and computational modeling.
Holly Michael is a Professor and Unidel Fraser Russell Career Development Chair for the Environment at the University of Delaware, serving as Director of the Delaware Environmental Institute. She holds a BS from the University of Notre Dame (BS, 1990s) and a PhD from MIT (2000s). Her research focuses on coastal hydrogeology, saltwater intrusion, groundwater sustainability, and climate change impacts on water resources. Current projects include investigating coastal critical zones, groundwater salinization dynamics, and arsenic-safe groundwater management in Bangladesh. Dr. Michael’s work integrates field studies, modeling, and experimental economics to address water resource challenges. She leads initiatives on subterranean estuaries, tidal wetland biogeochemistry, and the interplay between groundwater and surface water systems. Her research spans disciplines such as contaminant hydrology, geostatistics, and environmental policy, with emphasis on coastal regions. Notable projects include assessing the impacts of storm surges on coastal forests and modeling groundwater responses to sea-level rise. Dr. Michael collaborates internationally on issues like sustainable groundwater use and climate adaptation strategies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges hydrology, ecology, and socio-economic frameworks to solve complex environmental problems.
Susana Mourato is Professor of Environmental Economics at the Department of Geography and Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She joined LSE in 2008 after ten years at Imperial College London. In 2021, she became the Vice President and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) at LSE. She also holds positions as Visiting Reader at Imperial College London and Honorary Senior Fellow at CSERGE (University of East Anglia). Professor Mourato is an expert in environmental economics and the application of economic valuation techniques to measure environmental change and social value. Professor Mourato's research focuses on valuing natural wealth and creating markets for ecosystem services, perceptions and preferences for low-carbon energy technologies, environmental valuation methods and applications, and the relationship between life satisfaction and the environment. Her work spans the fields of environmental economics, wellbeing economics, and behavioral environmental economics. She has conducted extensive research on ecosystem services, wildlife conservation, air and water pollution, chemicals, climate change, low carbon technologies, and cultural heritage, testing and applying economic valuation techniques to these diverse areas. Her recent publications show a strong trend toward integrating behavioral economics with traditional environmental valuation techniques. She has published extensively on the links between subjective wellbeing and environmental quality, as well as the application of economic valuation methods to inform environmental policy. Her work often involves interdisciplinary collaborations across economics, ecology, and social sciences, with significant policy impact through government advisory roles and international organizations. Member of Culture & Heritage Capital Advisory Board (UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) Associate of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Former Academic Director of LSE Summer School Former Head of Department (2017-2020) Professor Mourato has worked on more than 45 research projects and consultancies for research councils, government, industry, charities, and international organizations. She currently leads projects for the OECD evaluating the impact of chemicals on IQ, for LSE Middle East Centre estimating preferences for climate change policies in the Gulf Region, and for water conservation in Kuwait. Her research has informed policy development in multiple countries and international contexts.
Nick Abel is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University. With a distinguished international career spanning Africa and Australia, he has worked in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, Botswana, Somalia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Australia. His academic credentials include a Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc.(Hons.), reflecting a strong foundation in environmental sciences and complex systems thinking. Abel's research program centers on the critical challenge of human adaptation to climate change, with particular focus on why adaptation efforts are insufficient to prevent environmental and social tipping points. He critically examines Australia's role as the world's third largest exporter of fossil fuels while facing escalating climate impacts, investigating how fossil fuel companies have maintained influence over public policy. His work integrates social-ecological systems theory, resilience thinking, and practical governance frameworks to address climate adaptation challenges. His publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational work in rangeland management and complex adaptive systems toward urgent climate policy interventions. Early research established theoretical frameworks for understanding resilience in dryland ecosystems, while recent work focuses on transformation pathways, Indigenous engagement, and community-based adaptation strategies. A consistent thread throughout his career is the integration of diverse knowledge systems and the development of practical approaches for environmental governance in rapidly changing conditions. Abel has registered to supervise research students at ANU and participates in significant collaborative projects, including the current 'Partnering with local communities in regional Australia to increase resilience to flood events' (2022-2025). His high-impact publications, including the highly cited 'Resilience management in social-ecological systems' (1,120 Scopus citations) and 'From Metaphor to Measurement: Resilience of What to What?' (2,596 Scopus citations), demonstrate his foundational contributions to the field. Through his work with various research groups and projects, Abel has helped establish frameworks for understanding social-ecological systems and climate adaptation. His contributions to the Fenner School include advancing methodologies for integrating scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems, developing practical approaches to environmental governance, and critically examining the political economy of climate policy in Australia.
Dr. Chenming Zhang is an Advanced Queensland Industry Research Fellow at the School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland. His research focuses on hydrological processes in coastal and terrestrial groundwater systems, with particular emphasis on evaporation-driven mass and heat transport in soils and tailings, and hydrogeochemical dynamics in aquifers and mine waste systems. Specializes in IoT-based environmental monitoring Develops numerical models for coastal aquifer dynamics Conducts field and laboratory experiments on tailings behavior Research interests span coastal hydrology, groundwater modeling, mine waste management, and environmental monitoring. He works on contamination transport, aquifer protection, and climate impacts on water systems. Recent publications analyze: Iron curtain formation in subterranean estuaries Sea water intrusion mechanisms Salinity dynamics in tidal wetlands Smart sewer monitoring systems Scientific awards include the prestigious Advanced Queensland Industry Research Fellowship. He supervises multiple PhD projects on mine waste hydrology and coastal aquifer management, with notable collaboration on: Evolution Mining's gold tailings projects ARC Discovery Projects on coastal processes Grange Resources' PAF cell instrumentation His work combines field measurements, laboratory testing, and computational modeling to address critical environmental challenges in mining and coastal zones.
Thomas Gillespie is a Professor and Co-Chair of the Environmental Science and Engineering (D.Env.) Program at the Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and biogeography to study tropical dry forests in biodiversity hotspots and develop predictive models for species distribution and conservation. Education: Ph.D. in Geography, UCLA (1998) M.A. in Geography and Planning, California State University, Chico (1994) B.A. in International Affairs, University of Colorado, Boulder (1990) Research Interests: Gillespie’s work focuses on field-based floristic surveys and remote sensing analysis of tropical dry forests across the Pacific, Caribbean, and California. He combines GIS with ecological data to model biodiversity patterns, anthropogenic disturbance impacts, and climate change scenarios. His research spans biogeography, conservation science, and environmental policy. Scientific Awards: NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship Grants: Gillespie has secured major grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institutes of Health (NIA, NICHD), and MacArthur Foundation for projects on urban greening, disaster recovery, and tropical forest conservation.
