Fellows co-organize panel at ESA 2025
At the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Executive Director Nicole Crane joined Fellows Reza Goljani Amirkhiz, Amy Teffer, Sara Kross, Keryn Gedan, Sara Souther, and Diego Ellis Soto to co-organize a well attended session:
“Practicing Conservation Science: Careers, Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons Learned from 25 Years of Experience through the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship.”
The session brought together a dynamic panel of Fellows spanning cohorts and career stages, including Chris Nadeau (2020), Malin Pinsky (2011), Ann Marie Gawel (2022), Joan Dudney (2019), Amy Teffer (2019), and Diego Ellis Soto (2024).
Together, they reflected on what it truly means to practice conservation science. Panelists shared candid insights about:
Navigating diverse career pathways across academia, NGOs, and government
Bridging science and practice
Lessons learned across 25 years of the Fellowship network
Following the session, Fellows gathered for dinner with Nicole Crane and former Program Director, Shonda Gilliland. These shared gatherings maintain connections and remind us that Smith Fellows is not just a program — it is an enduring community.
