The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Postdoctoral Fellowship Program makes it possible for Ph.D. or D.V.M.-qualified scientists to undertake fieldwork on endangered species or habitats for periods ranging from three to five years. Preference is given to studies of species that are represented in the collections at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, as well as to multidisciplinary projects that span research groups.
Since the inception of the program in 2000, we have hosted 37 fellows. Fellowships are advertised as they become available, with the next anticipated openings in mid-2021.
We are grateful to Dallas Clark and Jeanette Henderson for their generous endowment gifts that help make these fellowships possible.
Adi Barocas, Ph.D.
“Integrating giant otter research and conservation with sustainable development of the Madre de Dios region”
Stephen Chege, B.V.M., M.Sc.
“Conservation of the hirola antelope in Kenya: Integrated health program”
Giuliano Colosimo, Ph.D.
“Saving the critically endangered pink iguana through headstarting and research”
Timothy Eppley, Ph.D.
“Conservation of the critically endangered red ruffed lemur: Integrating distribution, ecology, and genetics for effective population management”
Diogo Verissimo, Ph.D.
“Design and impact evaluation of behavior change interventions focused on the demand for wildlife products”
Hariyo Beebach Wibisono, Ph.D.
“Ecology and conservation of Sumatran tigers at multiple spatial scales”
Candace Williams, Ph.D.
“Identifying core microbiomes to correlate diet estrogenicity and phytoestrogen metabolism to reproductive failures in southern white rhinoceros”
Elizabeth Davis, Ph.D.
“Working to reduce the illegal and unsustainable use of wildlife in southeast Asia through understanding the humans involved in wildlife trade and applying that understanding to collaborative strategies such as demand reduction initiatives"
Ekwoge Abwe, Ph.D.
“Niche separation in primate species in the Ebo forest (rainforest) and Mbam & Djerem National Park (forest-woodland-savanna mosaic), Cameroon"
Anthony Pagano, Ph.D.
“Behavior, foraging ecology, and energy expenditure of polar bears to better understand the implications of ongoing declines in Arctic sea ice"
Rachel Chock, Ph.D.
“Working to understand the habitat needs of San Bernardino kangaroo rat using many different tools- radio telemetry, genetics, surveys, and land cover maps. Each approach offers insight on features that are important from the landscape to microhabitat scale"
Matthew Petelle, Ph.D.
“Behavioral, physiological and cognitive research that will lead to an increase in parent-rearing success in the captive population of ‘Alala"
Joseph Ree, Ph.D.
“Developing the means to cryopreserve tissue samples of Nuttal's scrub oak (Quercus dumosa) and regenerate them under laboratory conditions to produce whole new trees"
