{"id":109,"date":"2022-01-28T16:33:02","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T16:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/?page_id=109"},"modified":"2025-04-23T18:19:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T18:19:11","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our Team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Ecological Society of America welcomes all ecologists, supporters and enthusiasts as members, as do our many sections and chapters. There are no restrictions on membership nor participation in our programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founders<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Nyeema Harris<\/a><\/p>\n

Yale School of the Environment<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>

\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Senay Yitbarek<\/a><\/p>\n

UNC at Chapel Hill<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>

\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Jasmine Crumsey Forde<\/a><\/p>\n

University of Georgia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u00a0Leadership Team (2024)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Karen Bailey<\/a><\/p>\n

CU Boulder<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Co-Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Matt McCary<\/a><\/p>\n

Rice University<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Secretary\/Treasurer<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gabriela Nunez-Mir<\/a><\/p>\n

University of Chicago at Illinois<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Senior Ecologist<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maria Miriti<\/a><\/p>\n

Ohio State University<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Webmaster<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sudan Kariuki<\/a><\/p>\n

Cornell University<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Grad Student Rep<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Braina Sealey<\/a><\/p>\n

UT Austin<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n\n

Grad Student Rep<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kristian Harris<\/a><\/p>\n

Ohio State University<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Mission Statement<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The birth of the Black Ecologists organization was sparked by the high-profile police shootings of Black people from 2014-2016. Inspired by the Movement for Black Lives, the Black Ecologists organization developed this section of ESA to serve as a safe space for its members to address the many challenges that we face in academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across departments specializing in ecology and evolutionary biology, African Americans are severely under-represented, earning less than 1.8% of PhD\u2019s in 2014, while representing 13% of the American people. A persistent feeling among Black Ecologists is a lack of belonging in their departments and institutions. We are also more likely to be harassed while engaging in outdoor activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black Ecologists not only need representation, but tools and networks that facilitate their inclusion in scientific and professional activities that can benefit their careers. This section aims to promote activities that pave the way for Black Ecologists to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former Leadership Team Members<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Co-chair (2021-2023)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Chris Schell<\/a><\/p>\n

UC Berkeley<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>

\n

Secretary (2021-2023)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Zakiya Leggett<\/a><\/p>\n

North Carolina State University<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our Team The Ecological Society of America welcomes all ecologists, supporters and enthusiasts as members, as do our many sections and chapters. There are no restrictions on membership nor participation in our programs. Founders \u00a0 Nyeema Harris Yale School of the Environment \u00a0 Senay Yitbarek UNC at Chapel Hill \u00a0 Jasmine Crumsey Forde University of Georgia The birth of the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3325,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-109","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3325"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":439,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109\/revisions\/439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/blackecologists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}