Michele is a Postdoctoral Researcher working jointly with The Nature Conservancy and the University of Washington. Broadly, her interests include harnessing quantitative methods to address both basic and applied ecological questions. Michele completed her PhD in the Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management program at the University of Washington, where her graduate research focused on understanding the causes and consequences of forest disturbances (primarily bark beetle outbreaks and wildfires) across the western United States. Currently, her postdoctoral research seeks to better understand the ways in which forest management and wildfire affect Pacific salmon population health.

Learn More

My name is Tri Giyat Desantoro. My bachelor’s degree is in forestry from IPB Bogor, with a focus on forest resource conservation and ecotourism. I have worked in the field of sustainability for companies, especially for the management and monitoring of high conservation value areas and moved to an NGO for wildlife rescue, focused on orangutans in Kalimantan. There I gained new perspectives and richer experiences regarding human interactions with wildlife and landscape ecology and the policies used in its management.

Currently, I am continuing my Master’s degree related to tropical biodiversity conservation. I am interested in the application of big data in conservation and try to explore it, especially in the use of incident news as information that records the situation and perspective taken in the news. Although, I have to make explanations about the gap between incidents in reality and what information appears in news articles; Indonesian language, programming, landscape ecology, anthropology (ethnic-culture) and wildlife ecology are still my basic subjects that I continue to explore. My master’s research is about the distribution of orangutan and human interactions in Kalimantan through news articles. These same research methods are used in revealing the spread of the African Swine Fever outbreak in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, and that made me join as an African Swine Fever research fellow.

I believe nature conservation is not about value measure but the way ancestors of local communities interacted with nature and passed on to their successors through oral culture the need to conserve and preserve nature.

Learn More

Maria Jimena has a degree in Biology, specializing in Terrestrial Ecology (BSc.), Agroforestry and Silvopastoral Systems (MSc.), and Functional AgroEcology (PhD.). Her research focuses on analyzing the effects of agricultural practices management over biodiversity conservation in anthropogenic and pristine habitats for providing ecosystem services (ES) on agricultural landscapes and developing sustainable Food Systems. Maria Jimena’s research projects built on inter-disciplinary cooperation (e.g., water, soil and forest management, nature conservation, biostatistics, and environmental economy) to support developing and implementing nature-based solutions in diverse global regions (Europe, Asia, and America). She co-leads and supports scientific publications to increase our knowledge of plant and animal biodiversity patterns, ecosystem functioning, and service delivery from diverse agroecosystems, including forest, crops, and grassland-dominated landscapes. Her research search is to facilitate the development of agroforestry and silvopastoral systems that favor biodiversity, climate change mitigation, and adaptation in the Global South.

Learn More

Amanda Yonica Poetri Faradifa, born and raised in Indonesia, has always shared a strong connection with her local community, culture, and youth movements. Her passion for animals and conservation led her to pursue a degree in Veterinary Medicine, where she developed a deep understanding of the connections between humans, animals, and the environment.

Through internships and volunteer experiences, Amanda worked with diverse species, from wildlife sanctuaries to marine rehabilitation centers. These experiences strengthened her commitment to conservation and animal welfare, particularly in addressing human-wildlife conflicts.

After graduating, she worked as a junior veterinarian in the UAE, specializing in avian care, before returning to her true passion, wildlife conservation. In Borneo, she worked closely with orangutans, which deepened her awareness of primate welfare issues and the challenges of coexisting with wildlife.

Currently, Amanda focuses on primate welfare, the wildlife trade, and science communication. She collaborates with various organizations to combat primate cruelty online, develop humane population management strategies, and advocate for ethical conservation practices. She is also engaged in African Swine Fever research in wild boar populations as a research fellow with One Health Collaborating Center, UGM as part of SNAPP project and studies human-primate interactions as part of the IUCN Section on Human-Primate Interactions.

With a background in veterinary medicine and social advocacy, Amanda works at the intersection of science, policy, and public awareness. She believes that effective communication, collaboration, and research-driven approaches are key to driving meaningful change in conservation and animal welfare.

Learn More

I am a master’s student at the University of Greifswald in Germany, enrolled in the Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation program. Currently, I am finalizing my master’s thesis on the potential use of spatial modeling for studying Marmota bobak (a large burrowing rodent) in Kazakhstan.

Since 2015, I have been actively collaborating with the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) and have participated in several field studies on saiga, steppe rodents, and white-headed ducks. I am now a staff member of the organization.

My main research interests lie in the study of steppe ecosystems and the distribution of steppe mammals, as well as understanding and resolving human-wildlife conflicts. I am also particularly fascinated by studying wild animal behavior.

In my free time, I train my dogs in commands and tricks, spend a lot of time outdoors, and organize science outreach lectures for anyone interested.

Learn More

Omar is a conservation social scientist, whose research concerns how to make conservation practice more socially just. He explores how this can be done by simultaneously working with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and conservation workers. In his PhD, he studied the biodiversity conservation political landscape in Nepal, focusing on the barriers and challenges in including diverse voices and practices within organizational structures. Previously he has worked on topics such as human wildlife coexistence and the impacts of voluntary certified standards on environmental and social indicators in palm oil landscapes. Taking a feminist political ecology approach, he centers issues trust, power and justice with a desire to forwarding post-capitalist and decolonial forms of conservation.

Learn More

Sydney is a masters student in the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. She is interested in adaptive and collaborative management of natural resources in response to climate change and natural hazards. Her current research explores the co-management of forest and freshwater habitats for fire resilience with a focus on the wellbeing of salmonid populations. Her background includes conservation and restoration efforts along sections of the Colorado River and economic impact and marketing effectiveness research. In her free time she enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and backpacking.

Learn More