"Bringing on Desiree skyrocketed our work. We have accomplished more than we ever thought we could, with our vector-borne disease research being recognized both nationally and internationally. Our findings have identified key areas of interest for future disease outbreaks which has led to on-the-ground public health action to ensure the safety and protection of Arizonans."
-- Leigh Combrink, BBCS Faculty Mentor
The Bridging Biodiversity and Conservation Science group (BBCS) is a cross-campus initiative that addresses the interdisciplinary scientific and societal grand challenges associated with developing and implementing the emerging transitions needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change. To do this, the BBCS links campus strengths in conservation, human health, biodiversity, and societal wellbeing.
Since 2017 the program has mentored postdoctoral researchers through collaborative, interdisciplinary teams creating novel synthetic research in:
Global Biodiversity & Conservation Science
while cultivating diverse expertise in various fields including:
The BBCS leverages strengths from across the University of Arizona campus to:
- Forecast the future of biodiversity in support of human wellbeing including health and food, environmental, and national security;
- Develop cutting edge research that addresses key challenges in biodiversity science at the intersection of public health and environmental security, food security, and national security;
- Train and mentor the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers and leaders (postdocs and Assistant Professors); and
- Engage with broader environmental research initiatives across campus.
The BBCS is comprised of a team of postdoctoral researchers, core faculty, and other affiliated researchers that identified, through a series of workshops, several cross-cutting research projects that use biodiversity as a focal point for interdisciplinary investigations.
“The BBCS program has consistently supported my development as a transdisciplinary conservation scientist through ongoing collaboration with faculty, postdocs, and students, as well as travel opportunities to participate in globally important conservation decision making meetings and scientific conferences. My work combines ecology, social and policy science, and design to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and real-world conservation. By partnering with practitioners, I explore challenges in applying science-informed solutions and help to create new ways of understanding this space. For example, in the City of Tucson I am working to understand what features of the urban environment facilitate coexistence or conflict between wildlife and people. This work can directly inform how the City of Tucson approaches wildlife conservation and provisions for resident’s access to nature.”
-- Jessie Golding, BBCS postdoc, 2025.
Where do YOU fit in?
"My postdoc fellowship with BBCS provided me with critical fund-raising skills and experience to interact with a large group of collaborators in a productive and respectful fashion."
- Dr. Mauricio "Mau" Nunez-Regueiro, former Postdoc with BBCS, 2018
