Half-Earth Chairs and Scholars
The Half-Earth Chairs and Scholars is a program of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s Half-Earth Project. The goal of the program is to support global biodiversity research and scholarship to cultivate and champion the unique insights and expertise of scientists from each region of the world and nurture a global footprint of scientific leadership and community insight in support of the Half-Earth Project.
The inaugural Half-Earth Chair, Piotr Naskrecki, has advanced research, education, and scholarship of dozens of students in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Motivated by the desire to discover, describe, and conduct natural history studies in order to inform local conservation management efforts, Half-Earth Chairs and Scholars in Mozambique have discovered 100 new species to science, identified 25 species endemic to Gorongosa, and have collected data for 750 species on the IUCN Red List. Gorongosa’s Half-Earth Scholars have gone on to pursue advanced research degrees and careers in local wildlife conservation and government.
Future Half-Earth Chairs and Scholars will be selected for their innovative approaches to championing a better understanding of our world, nurturing future biodiversity stewardship, and improving conservation management efforts worldwide. The program aims to support emerging scientists in places that are priorities for conservation to empower local representation and strategic insight that ensures successful biodiversity outcomes. Future Half-Earth Chairs and Scholars could, for example, include individuals who are pursuing research and scholarship that supports agriculture and biodiversity, that are advancing indigenous knowledge and insight, or that have identified unique approaches to environmental stewardship.
Half-Earth Chairs & Scholars are nominated and selected by an Advisory Board of individuals with unique insight into global biodiversity science actors, and insight into cutting-edge research and conservation efforts:
- Half-Earth Chairs are selected for their research leadership and ability to be role models and mentors for the next generation of biodiversity scientists. Half-Earth Chairs are eligible for funding support of $30,000 per year for up to four years in support of their research or program activities.
- Half-Earth Scholars are mentored by Half-Earth Chairs to advance their learning and research and empower local stewardship of biodiversity. Half-Earth Scholars are eligible for funding support of $30,000 per year for up to two years to support their research or academic activities.
Each Half-Earth Chair will be announced annually on Earth Day and share their progress at annual Half-Earth Day events. Half-Earth Chairs & Scholars Advisory Board members will nominate candidates, evaluate candidates, and identify a new Half-Earth Chair through a series of meetings in February and March each year.
Please direct questions and requests for more information to Brooks Bonner, Program Director, E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: bbonner@eowilsonfoundation.org
