People

Prof. Alejandra Echeverri

(She/Her/Ella)

Prof. Echeverri is an interdisciplinary conservation scientist whose research explores human–wildlife interactions, cultural values of nature, and the impacts of people on biodiversity. Her current work examines biodiversity, tourism, and cultural diversity in Latin America, while also advising governments on environmental policy. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, a Stanford Rising Environmental Leader, a UCLA Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award Nominee, and former youth representative to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

Current students, researchers, and postdocs

Dr. Chase Niesner

Postdoctoral scholar
(He/Him)

Dr. Chase Niesner is an anthropologist, filmmaker, and artist whose work bridges ecology, multispecies anthropology, and the moving image. He has studied human–coyote relations in Los Angeles and is now leading projects on human–river relationships in the Trinity River and the role of documentaries and television in shaping environmental narratives and conservation action. His current scholarship redefines cultural keystone species as “Species of Passionate Interest,” highlighting the ways people form deep connections with the more-than-human world.

Eric Heisey

PhD Student
(He/Him)

Eric Heisey is a biologist and avid birder from the University of Guelph, now pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. His research examines how private sector certification standards influence biodiversity conservation and farmer well-being, with a focus on understanding the role of markets and governance in shaping conservation outcomes.

Isabela Tapia Jaramillo

PhD Student
(She/Her/Ella)

Isabela Tapia Jaramillo is a PhD student in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. A Chancellor’s doctoral Fellow, and a WWF Fonseca Fellow. Isabela is born and raised in the Galápagos Islands, she works at the intersection of conservation science, data science, environmental justice, and community-based management. Her research spans ecological restoration, giant tortoise population management, spatial planning for protected areas, marine bird conservation, and invasive species, with a focus on developing inclusive and sustainable strategies that support both ecosystems and local communities.

Alex Boren

Lab Assistant
(She/Her)

Alex Boren is a lab research assistant in the Echeverri Lab at UC Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 2025 and is currently studying how environmental media shapes public attitudes and behaviors toward conservation. Her research background ranges from using genomics to study host–pathogen interactions to applying qualitative methods to evaluate conservation messaging. She is broadly interested in conservation biology, disease ecology, and the role of human behavior in shaping ecological outcomes.

Mel Badino

PhD Student
(She/They)

Mel is a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management focused on the remote sensing of biodiversity and ecosystem function in wetlands. She currently studies the impacts of carbon sequestration focused wetland restoration on other aspects of the wetland health and function. Using field surveys, drone flights, audio recordings, and satellite imagery, they investigate avian biodiversity, environmental heterogeneity, succession, and productivity in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. She is passionate about creating inclusive and safe teaching and fieldwork experiences for undergraduates and professional scientists.

Dr. Eugenia Bianca Bonaparte

Postdoctoral Scholar|(She/Her/Ella)

Dr. Bonaparte is an Argentine biological scientist and researcher specializing in the ecology and conservation of birds in the Atlantic Forest. She holds a postdoctoral position at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) in Argentina and is affiliated with the Federal University for Latin American Integration (UNILA). She’s co-supervised by Dr. Kristina Cockle, and Prof. Echeverri.

Echeverri lab alumni

Minyu Dou (窦敏毓)

Visiting Scholar 2025

Minyu Dou is a PhD student at Peking University with a background in forestry. She earned her BSc in Agriculture from Beijing Forestry University in 2021 and is pursuing doctoral research on forest restoration under the supervision of Prof. Fangyuan Hua. As a visiting scholar in the Echeverri Lab in 2025, she worked on policy mixes for the forest sector in China.

Bryam Mateus Aguilar

Research Assistant
2023-2025

Bryam is a Colombian ornithologist interested in biocultural diversity, biocultural conservation and ethnobiology. He led the Mateus-Aguilar, Diaz Salazar, et al. (2025) article published in Ecological Indicators. He has a BSc in Biology from Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. Mentored by Prof. Daniel Cadena.

Andres Felipe Diaz Salazar

Research Assistant
2023-2025

Andres Felipe is a wildlife biologist currently working as an environmental consultant for Terrasos, Colombia. He co-led the Mateus-Aguilar, Diaz Salazar (2025) article published in Ecological Indicators. He has BSc and MSc degrees in Biology from Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. Mentored by Prof. Daniel Cadena.