Tom Lovejoy was a pioneer in conservation science.
Tom was as comfortable in the rainforest as he was in boardrooms and the halls of government. He understood and firmly believed that the challenges the planet’s biodiversity faces can be best addressed through informed policy choices and management plans that were grounded in science.
The Lovejoy Fellowship carries on this legacy by providing opportunities for early career scientists and practitioners to pursue novel research that bridges biodiversity science and actionable conservation solutions. This flagship postdoctoral program provides research support, mentorship, leadership skills, and networking opportunities to empower the next generation of conservation scientists to solve the problems faced by biodiversity on the planet.
Thomas E. Lovejoy
Kristin Pintauro / Colorado State University
The Tom Lovejoy Conservation Fellowship enables creative and collaborative postdoctoral researchers to address key challenges in biodiversity science at the intersection of conservation, public health, environmental security, and environmental justice.
Lovejoy Fellows are mentored by faculty and community partners to conduct cutting-edge research, contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives, and help translate scientific insights into solutions over their two years as fellows.
The next call for fellows will be announced in late 2026. Subscribe to the Lovejoy Newsletter to get the announcement in your inbox!
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Mentorship
Every Lovejoy Fellow chooses one of the Lovejoy Fellowship Faculty Affiliates (below) to be their faculty mentor. Additionally, fellows may have a co-mentor from a Lovejoy partner. Previous co-mentors have come from The Nature Conservancy Arizona, the Udall Center, and others.
Want to know more? Reach out to Fellowship Coordinator Phoebe Meixner (pmeixner@arizona.edu) with any questions and to inquire about the latest information about the Tom Lovejoy Conservation Fellowship.
Current Lovejoy Fellows
Allie Burnett
Gabriel Gadsden
Sarah Gonzalez-Coffin
Edauri Navarro Pérez
“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.”
––Dr. Jessie Golding, postdoc alum (pictured right as an invited symposium leader at ICCB 2025)
Research Themes
Lovejoy Fellows will leverage strengths across campus in conservation, human health, biodiversity, and societal wellbeing to create new insights in:
Global Biodiversity & Conservation Science
while cultivating diverse expertise in various fields including:
The fellowship aims to:
- Forecast the future of biodiversity in support of human wellbeing;
- Develop cutting edge research that addresses key challenges in biodiversity science;
- Train and mentor the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers and leaders; and
- Engage with broader environmental research initiatives across campus.
"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."
––Dr. Leigh Combrink, Lovejoy Fellowship Faculty Mentor
Left: Dr. Desiree Bliss catches a mosquito on the fly with various materials in the room.
Lovejoy Fellowship Faculty Affiliates
Jesse Alston
Leigh Combrink
Brian Enquist
Kacey Ernst
Rachel E. Gallery
Aaron Lien
Sabrina McNew
Kathleen 'Katy' Prudic
Cristian Román-Palacios
Willem van Leeuwen
Mackenzie Waller
Support the Fellows
The Lovejoy Fellows are on the forefront of action-oriented biodiversity conservation research. Make an all-at-once gift to make an immediate impact in this critical time through research and salary support, or sustain the program for the next generation of conservation scientists with an endowment contribution.
From the Sonoran Desert to the Amazon, your generosity keeps this vital work moving forward. Thank you for making an impact with us.