Meet the Fellows

Smith post-doctoral fellowships are designed to enable early-career scientists to improve and expand their research skills, to direct their research efforts toward problems of pressing conservation concern, and to avail themselves of unique research opportunities by working closely with conservation practitioners. The Fellow is expected to design, initiate, and conduct an original research project developed in collaboration with both an academic mentor and a conservation practitioner mentor.

Fellows' research projects focus on pressing conservation issues for the United States.  But more than that, working in collaboration with on-the-ground practitioners allows each Fellow to learn first hand about the culture, challenges, and rewards of conservation applications.  The Program actively seeks to enlarge the Fellows' professional opportunities and future success by helping to build their networks of relationships in the conservation and research communities and by providing opportunities for professional development through targeted workshops and training events.  The Program's far-sighted vision fosters a strong sense of collegiality and shared purpose among past, present, and future Fellows.