Nalini Nadkarni is a National Geographic Explorer At Large, the highest distinction within the organization. She pioneered canopy access techniques to study the plants, animals, and microbes that live in the treetops. She interweaves her research on rainforest canopies with innovative public engagement.

A contributor to 150 scientific papers and books, she has cast new insights on the importance of canopy plants in ecosystem processes and the effects of human activities on forest diversity and function. Her work is featured in academic journals and in public media such as NPR, Science Friday; Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me; and RadioLab. Her awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the AAAS Award for Public Engagement, the National Science Foundation Award for Public Service, The Wilson Award for the Advancement of Social Justice and the Archie Carr Medal for Conservation.

She is currently a professor at the University of Utah.

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