
Meet the
Smith Fellows
Since its inception in 1999, the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program has supported more than 120 early-career scientists from around the world. These fellows have gone on to make significant contributions to the field of conservation science.
Current Fellows
All Fellows
Browse by Class
- Class of 1999 7
- Class of 2000 5
- Class of 2001 5
- Class of 2002 6
- Class of 2003 6
- Class of 2004 5
- Class of 2006 4
- Class of 2007 4
- Class of 2008 4
- Class of 2009 4
- Class of 2010 4
- Class of 2011 4
- Class of 2012 4
- Class of 2013 4
- Class of 2014 4
- Class of 2015 5
- Class of 2016 5
- Class of 2017 5
- Class of 2018 5
- Class of 2019 5
- Class of 2020 5
- Class of 2021 5
- Class of 2022 5
- Class of 2023 5
- Class of 2024 5
- Class of 2025 5
Maile Neel
Conservation of multiple levels of biological diversity using community based reserve selection approaches
Neal Williams
Landscape influences on pollinator function and pollinator faunas in restored riparian forests
Erika Zavaleta
The biodiversity effects of adding and removing single invaders in exotic-dominated systems: Genista monspessulana in California coastal prairies
Karen Goodell
Impact of an introduced Insect-pollinated Invasive Plant into Wetlands and the Implications of its Removal for Native Plant and Pollinator Communities
Christine V. Hawkes
Alteration of the soil microbial and AM fungal communities when exotic species invade: Implications for management and restoration of plant communities
Tatyana Rand
Effects of landscape context on the colonization, ecological impact and potential management of invasive weeds and insect preserves
David Theobald
Incorporating Landscape Context into the Design of Functional Conservation Networks
Robert Hilderbrand
Design of freshwater conservation reserves using cutthroat trout as a focal species
Peter Jacobson
Flood pulse control of organic matter, nutrient, and microbial dynamics in dryland riparian ecosystems: implications for management and restoration
David Merritt
Mechanisms of tamarisk dominance in western riparian ecosystems: roles of hydrologic modification and autogenic processes
Kristina Rothley
Conservation priority setting for sandplain natural communities in the eastern United States
Jeffrey Su
Refining the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems for coarse-filter biodiversity protection
Diego Ellis Soto
Environmental justice, socioeconomics, and biodiversity conservation in the Bay Area
Cinnamon Mittan-Moreau
Genomically-informed solutions to “small population problems” in a critically endangered species
Gisselle Mejía
Shaping Urban Biodiversity: A Multi-Scale Analysis of Nursery Trends, Stakeholder Preferences, and Tree Composition in Urban Landscapes
Leo Gaskins
Restoring diversity and increasing function in Great Lakes wetlands with native ecosystem engineer biomimicry
Reza Goljani Amirkhiz
Monitoring the impact of climate change on the abundance and distribution of breeding bird communities

“The Smith Fellowship was both an incredible experience at the time, providing excellent research support, training, and professional development opportunities, and an amazing network to be a part of in the decades that have followed!”
Building a network of change makers
Smith fellows have made significant contributions to the field of conservation science, including developing innovative solutions to critical conservation challenges, publishing groundbreaking research, and informing conservation policy and practice. Learn more about joining the program today!