This spring, the Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM) program at the University of San Francisco (USF) hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion on the evolving challenges and tools for addressing biodiversity loss. The event brought together experts from leading non-profit organizations—NatureServe, Point Blue Conservation Science, the California Academy of Sciences, and USF’s own faculty—who shared diverse, data-driven approaches to managing and conserving biodiversity across ecosystems. The discussion underscored the urgent need for interdisciplinary collaboration, accessible data, and innovative modeling tools in an era of accelerating environmental change.
We extend our sincere thanks to our distinguished panelists and to Professor David Saah, who moderated the session. Whether you joined us in person or are reading this recap, we are grateful for your engagement with this important topic.
Background about our panelist members and a glimpse into their discussion:
Max Tarjan – Program Manager for Species Habitat with NatureServe
Max Tarjan opened the panel with an overview of NatureServe’s work at the intersection of data science and conservation. As a quantitative ecologist, she emphasized the critical role of ecological modeling in informing land management decisions. By creating species distribution maps and answering key questions—What is it? Where is it? How is it doing?—NatureServe equips decision-makers with digestible, science-based insights. Max highlighted the organization’s commitment to open-access tools, linking to biodiversity models that are freely available to the public.
Sam Veloz – Bioinformatics and Climate Solutions Director for Point Blue
Building on Max’s theme on the intersection of data science and conservation, Sam Veloz shared how his team at Point Blue integrates climate modeling and bioinformatics to support adaptive, climate-smart conservation. His group’s tools are used across a wide range of habitats—from tidal marshes in the Bay Area to the icy reaches of the Ross Sea. Sam specifically discussed avian conservation, showcasing public platforms like the Avian Knowledge Network and Global Fishing Watch that help protect vulnerable bird species by making ecological data accessible to scientists, policymakers, and the public alike.
Avery Hill, PhD – Ecologist and plant biologist for California Academy of Sciences
Avery Hill brought a botanical perspective, focusing on the changing distribution of plant species in the Anthropocene. His research relies on community-collected data and large-scale occurrence datasets to model future forest compositions. Avery emphasized the value of citizen science tools such as iNaturalist, eBird, and The GLOBE Program, which democratize biodiversity data collection. He also pointed to a growing need for infrastructure—especially data storage capacity—as biodiversity datasets expand and machine learning tools become more integrated in ecological research.
Simon Scarpetta, PhD – Assistant Professor with University of San Francisco
Closing the panel, Simon Scarpetta offered a glimpse into evolutionary biology through the lens of lizard biogeography. His research investigates how species have responded to climatic shifts over geologic time, using fossil records and molecular data. Simon shared with the audience his recent publication on the longest-known transoceanic dispersal event in terrestrial vertebrates—an evolutionary journey of lizards to Fiji. His presentation highlighted the importance of historical context in understanding present-day biodiversity patterns.
Concluding Reflections
Together, these panelists illuminated how scientific innovation, open data, and cross-sector collaboration are essential for tackling biodiversity loss. Whether modeling species distributions, guiding climate-smart land use, crowdsourcing ecological observations, or tracing evolutionary histories, each speaker demonstrated the power of evidence-based approaches to conservation. The event made clear that while the challenges facing biodiversity are complex and multifaceted, so too are the tools now available to understand and address them. As biodiversity continues to decline globally, the role of the non-profit sector in advancing actionable science and public engagement has never been more vital.
