Julie Robinson

Deputy Director for Earth Science, NASA

NASA has been in the business of observing our Earth for decades, building the world’s largest Earth-observing fleet, including satellites, instruments on the International Space Station and airborne assets. Today we have over 26 missions in orbit and we run over a dozen airborne campaigns each year. These missions provide global observations of the integrated Earth as a system, our changing climate, and changes in biodiversity impacts. The global view from our satellite-borne sensors provides critical context for ecological observations that are collected locally. Here I present some of the ways that wildlife and conservation biologists use NASA Earth science observations in their work and what we are doing to make our data more accessible and available to the conservation community.

James Cummins

President, Boone and Crockett Club

To advance wildlife conservation, wildlife professionals must be more involved in the formulation and implementation of policy. Historically, wildlife science-related policy decisions are often made with insufficient input from trained wildlife professionals. I encourage wildlife professionals to better understand the policy making and political processes and how to influence them. This includes obtaining a combination of education in biological, social, economic, and political sciences, real-world experience, and job placement that results in effective input on policy. Further, wildlife professionals should effectively engage and communicate with the public and policy makers so they appreciate and see value and importance of scientific input in the policy process. Doing so will ensure better integration of science and policy so the best available information becomes part of policy decisions.

Jason Baldes

Director of the Tribal Buffalo Program, National Wildlife Federation

Wildlife conservation success stories are made possible through partnerships and collaboration, people working together to achieve the unachievable. Tribal lands contain some of the largest and most intact wildlife and fisheries habitat left on the continent, but have historically been left out of the conversation. A new era of conservation includes efforts to restore bison/buffalo as wildlife, removing dams and thinking differently, more holistically, about land use and water management that challenges the status quo. In a changing climate, we must consider new ways, or old ways such as Indigenous belief systems, to help restore balance to our world.

Carol Chambers

Professor, Northern Arizona University

As the 2023 Aldo Leopold Memorial Award recipient, Carol has distinctly demonstrated her commitment to the values of The Wildlife Society and the spirit and philosophy of Aldo Leopold. Carol exemplifies this through her distinguished career studying and promoting the science and management behind wildlife conservation and the people who work to conserve natural resources. Woven within the many academic contributions that Carol has made is a legacy of opening the profession to new generations of researchers that reflect a broader diversity than the one she found when she entered the field. In 2010, Carol helped form the Women of Wildlife community within TWS and when she served as TWS president from 2020 to 2021—Carol made expanding diversity a priority, overseeing creation of the TWS’ DEI Vision.

Lucas Cooksey

Associate Director, Texas A&M’s Natural Resources Institute

The Department of Defense and Military Services currently manage approximately 27 million acres dedicated to training, testing, and the preparedness of the United States Armed Forces. This directly enables the enduring mission to provide the military forces necessary to deter war and ensure the Nation’s security. In conjunction with and alongside this unique land use are some of the most diverse and resilient habitats and species found in the world today. The purpose of this presentation focuses on the fact that while conservation and military training seem at first glance opposites, they are more complimentary than most are aware. This presentation will help demystify the military mission & land management actions occurring both within and beyond an installation fence line, discuss the importance of culture and tradition within the military, and highlight Military Land Management as a multidimensional and rewarding career.