Doctoral Dissertation Research: A Study of Global Networks in Conservation Science

This doctoral dissertation research project studies the professional networks that impact global wildlife conservation efforts. The research contributes to the scientific understanding of how global scientific organizations function and how their impact can be enhanced to achieve the goals of global conservation communities. In addition to providing scientific training for a graduate student in anthropology and interdisciplinary conservation science, research findings will be disseminated via workshops, podcasts, and career development programs for graduate and undergraduate students, global stakeholders in conservation science, and the public.

The investigators specifically test for the effectiveness of collaborative conservation efforts across several international institutions working towards tackling the challenges of global wildlife conservation. To expand understandings of the relationships between professional organizational networks and collaborative conservation science, the research utilizes a multi-sited, grounded theory approach to data collection.

Data will be collected through qualitative techniques including semi-structured interviews, behavioral observations, and archival research. The research contributes to environmental anthropology, conservation science, and the science of scientific expertise and transnational scientific networks. This research is supported by the Cultural Anthropology and Science of Science: Discovery, Communication and Impact programs.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.