Movement is essential for life on Earth. It connects ecosystems, drives key biological processes, and underpins healthy communities of people and wildlife. However, we are only just beginning to understand the ways that our rapidly changing planet is impacting the movement and survival of species. Dr. Lacey Hughey will explain how the Smithsonian’s Movement of Life Initiative aims to combine high-tech solutions with local insights to proactively conserve the movement of animals across changing land and seascapes.
Hughey is an ecologist and program manager with fourteen years of experience leading research projects at the intersection of remote sensing and species conservation. She specializes in the application of animal tracking data to conserve migratory species on a changing planet and has managed research programs for the US National Park Service, University of California, and the Smithsonian Institution. She holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.