Research Associate

Edith, a native of Honduras, has resided in nine different countries spanning four continents. Her global experience inspired her to pursue a degree in International Relations in Geneva, Switzerland. Additionally, growing up around diverse cultures and landscapes, she developed a deep appreciation for natures, animals and sustainability. This passion eventually led her toearn a Master of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Management from Georgetown University.

During her studies, Edith learned about the scientific aspects of her field, expanding her knowledge. Currently, she collaborates with Dr. Griffiths, conducting research on policy issues within the Amazon Region. 

Ph.D. Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University

M. Gilmore Lab

M.S. Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University

M. Gilmore Lab

Ph.D. Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University

Dissertation: Wild meat consumption in the northeastern Peruvian Amazon: Implications for conservation and sustainability (2022)

Fiorella is an environmental social scientist from Peru who has dedicated her life to developing scientific knowledge, translating, and communicating science to the public, and advocating to protect biodiversity and local people in the Amazon rainforest. She has extensive experience developing, managing, and contributing to a broad portfolio of interdisciplinary research projects focused on conserving species, habitats, landscapes, and ancestral lands. These projects included animal behavior studies, camera trapping, habitat assessments, environmental education, supporting community-based conservation projects, and creating community conservation areas. Fiorella holds a bachelor's in biology from the Universidad Ricardo Palma in Peru and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University in the United States. She is a Hispanic woman in science and academia, a first-generation college graduate, and a native Spanish speaker who is committed to creating a more equitable, inclusive, and racially diverse environmental movement.

Environment and Sustainability, Georgetown University

Sophia Monsalvo is an artist, writer, and observer of life. Her work is inspired by understanding the connections between humans and the natural environment and decolonizing environmental epistemologies. She is in the inaugural class of the Bachelor of Science in Environment and Sustainability in the Earth Commons. She received the Royden B. Davis Fellowship for her research in community-based conservation and peacebuilding in Colombia. Sophia founded Grounding, a retreat for BIPOC-identifying undergraduate students to use visual arts to connect to their ancestry and reflect on relationships with the environment. Connecting art and academia, Sophia is an artist who represents her relationship to the environment through various mediums such as sculpture, oil paint, and linocut prints. As an Afro-Indigenous woman, Sophia is passionate about environmental justice and the intersection of art, social change, community mobilization, and environmental conservation.

Biology, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina

Alejandra is a Peruvian conservationist currently working for the Sea Turtle Conservation Program of Osa Conservation NGO in Costa Rica. Her main interests are conservation, environmental education and environmental justice. She lived for almost two years in Madre de Dios, located in the southeast Peruvian amazon, doing field work and learning about long term monitoring of monkeys, plants, birds, herpetofauna and butterflies. It is in one of these places in Madre de Dios where she is doing her thesis about visitation patterns of median and large mammals and birds in two clay licks located in the buffer zone of the Tambopata National Reserve. 

Science, Technology, and International Affairs (STIA), Georgetown University

Stephane is a graduating senior in Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service passionate about the intersection of environmental policy, Latin America, and international affairs. For his undergraduate thesis, Stephane explored the design and impact of forest carbon credit programs such as REDD+, identifying key characteristics that make projects successful. He is also the co-founder and COO of Georgetown REUSE, a nonprofit that reduces waste and improves accessibility by selling donated dorm items and clothes at affordable prices on campus. Stephane is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish. Outside of work and academics, Stephane enjoys running, spending time in nature, and cooking. Stephane joined a camera trapping expedition in July, 2023 as the first undergraduate student at Georgetown to represent the Mammal Conservation Lab in the field!

Ph.D. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University

A. Flecker Lab

Website

Ehtan is an ecologist/ornithologist with interests in biogeochemistry, tropical ecology, and freshwater ecology. His current research examines chemical elements and energy in ecological interactions: What is the importance of physiological constraints on animals and, in turn, how do these constraints impact food web structure and ecosystem functioning? He is particularly interested in understanding how animals influence ecosystem biogeochemistry and how humans alter these functional roles. Some of Ethan's previous and ongoing research also examines wildlife responses to human impacts on rivers, mainly focusing on restoration associated with dam removal. He has studied some of the largest dam removals in the world, as well as smaller, more ubiquitous barriers within streams, ultimately aiming to improve the way we conserve and restore river ecosystems. 

Ethan is currently a PhD student at Cornell University (New York, USA) advised by Dr. Alex Flecker, a freshwater ecologist and conservation scientist. He received his BS in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Terrestrial Ecology from Western Washington University. Prior to his PhD, Ethan worked as a GIS Lead for Cascade Water Alliance, a municipal water supply corporation in the Puget Sound region. 

Ed.D. Environmental Science Education, Antioch University

Website

Ava is a leader in the field of environmental education with over 10 years of experience. Her expertise lies in helping young people connect to the places that hold our common heritage and shared humanity. She has led students into the treetops, down in marsh mud, and across the world, leaving them with meaningful experiences that have transformed them into planetary stewards, global citizens, and change-makers. In addition to experiential and place-based approaches, Ava uses storytelling to empower others to engage with the world and join a global community of problem-solvers, innovators, and explorers.   

 As a progressive educator and seasoned naturalist, Ava has taught science in 3rd-12th grade, run research experiences for graduate students, and facilitated conservation courses for educators. She has been on 20 international expeditions in 11 countries. Ava’s capacity to inspire learners of all ages stems from her ability to relate content to the lived experiences of each individual through empathy, commitment, and innovation. Her capacity to tie networks together, form collaborations, and amplify others’ voices stems from her diversity of experience and depth of knowledge. Her capacity to remain persistent stems from her restless and optimistic spirit. 

Ava now directs a research collaborative and educational initiatives at the Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies. She holds a B.S in Natural Resources with a concentration in applied ecology from Cornell University. She is currently pursuing her Ed.D in environmental science education at Antioch University.