Lauren Eckert

Lauren is a conservation scientist, storyteller, and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of British Columbia in the Centre for Indigenous Fisheries (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm / Skwxwú7mesh / Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh territories), where her research supports Indigenous-led approaches to ecosystem- and fisheries management. Lauren holds a MSc and PhD from the University of Victoria, where she studied marine and terrestrial ecosystems, the intersections of Indigenous and Western sciences, relationships between humans and wildlife, and sought to better understand and transform conflict that stymies conservation efforts.

Lauren is interested in the 'how' of applied, equitable conservation approaches. Her fundamental interests lie in translating data and research into action – for the planet, and diverse human and other-than-human-animal communities that together call it home. Pursuing these interests has allowed her to study a variety of animal species across many geographies — from kit foxes in the high deserts of Colorado to gray whales in Sitka Sound, Alaska, from arboreal monkeys in Western Brazil to deep-dwelling rockfish along the coasts of British Columbia. Lauren also holds Board leadership roles at the Alaska Whale Foundation and The Narwhal, and is a National Geographic Explorer.