Robert I. McDonald

I am a Senior Scientist at The Nature Conservancy. I research the impact and dependence of cities on the natural world, and help lead the science behind much of the Conservancy’s urban conservation work. I have a PhD in Ecology from Duke University and have published more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, and a recent book, entitled CONSERVATION FOR CITIES. Prior to joining the Conservancy, I was a Smith Conservation Biology Fellow at Harvard University, studying the impact global urban growth will have on biodiversity and conservation. I also taught landscape ecology at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, helping architects and planners incorporate ecological principles into their projects.