Wildlife ecologist and conservation scientist Rae Wynn-Grant, PhD, brings her internationally recognized research and dynamic storytelling to our Keynote Speaker Series.
Wynn-Grant is co-host of NBC’s “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild” alongside wildlife expert Peter Gros. The series highlights remarkable species and the conservationists working to protect them, continuing the legacy of the iconic “Wild Kingdom” franchise.
A leading expert in carnivore ecology, she studies how human activity shapes predator behavior, with a focus on the ecological and social drivers of human-carnivore conflict.
She’s also the creator and host of the award-winning PBS “Nature” podcast “Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant.” Through in-depth interviews and field stories, she makes conservation science accessible to broad audiences.
For her keynote, Wynn-Grant also draws from her 2024 memoir, Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World. The book traces her journey from the jungles of Madagascar to the grasslands of the Serengeti and reflects on her experiences as one of the few Black women scientists at the top of her field.
She earned degrees from Emory University, Yale University and Columbia University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History.
She’s currently a research faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California Santa Barbara. She also serves as a Research Fellow with the National Geographic Society, partnering with the American Prairie Reserve, and as a Visiting Scientist at the American Museum of Natural History.
Nature lovers of all ages will leave inspired to explore, protect and champion the wild world around them.
ADMISSION & PARKING
- Pass is valid from the time of entry until 7 p.m. the following day, offering nearly two days of summertime fun.
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