Dr. David Wilcove

Biography

David Wilcove is the Henry W. Putnam Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. His research team, referred to as the 'Drongos', focuses on questions surrounding biodiversity in an increasingly hot, hungry, and crowded world. He draws on conservation biology, ecology, and social sciences to address pressing issues affecting threatened species and ecosystems while aligning with the interests of graduate students and postdocs. Over the years, his team has conducted extensive fieldwork across diverse ecosystems, including Antarctica, the Himalayas, the Brazilian Amazon, and various coral reefs. The work has revolved around a variety of organisms from birds to mammals and plants, integrating fieldwork with computational approaches to understand emerging threats. Wilcove's research also examines the social dimensions of conservation, ensuring that proposed solutions are ecologically sound, economically feasible, and socially acceptable. His investigations span numerous topics, such as the impacts of selective logging, oil palm cultivation, and climate change on biodiversity, as well as international biodiversity conservation strategies and the effects of tourism on coral reefs. Through this work, he aims to inspire positive outcomes for wildlife and their natural habitats.

Research Interests