Fred Van Dyke is a conservation scientist, author, and consultant and former Executive Director of the Au Sable Institute, an environmental education and research organization located in northern Michigan, USA. Prior to his leadership of Au Sable, Fred served as Professor and Chair of the Biology Department at Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, USA, and Director of Wheaton’s Environmental Studies Program. Fred received his Ph.D. in environmental and forest biology from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York-Syracuse. He has served as a wildlife biologist for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, a scientific and management consultant to the US National Park Service, and a consultant to government agencies and private industry in conservation research and management. His studies of wildlife ecology, plant ecology, restoration ecology, fire ecology and plant and animal response to environmental disturbance have been published innumerous international scientific journals and books Contact email: vandykefred400@gmail.comRachel L. Lamb is a University Flagship Fellow, Harvey Fellow, and PhD Candidate in Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). She also holds a Master of Public Policy and Master of Science in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology from UMD. Rachel has worked for numerous agencies and organizations, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, A Rocha Peru, National Socio-Ecological Synthesis Research Center (SESYNC), Society for Conservation Biology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Her current work focuses on the socio-economic applications of NASA Carbon Monitoring System products to advance climate-smart land-use with benefits for biodiversity. During the summers, she serves as a member of the faculty of the Au Sable Institute as an Assistant Professor, teaching courses in environmental law and policy as well as land use and resources policy. In 2015, Rachel was named a White House Champion of Change by the Obama Administration for her efforts in protecting our environment and communities from the effects of climate change.Contact email: rachlamb@umd.edu
