Congratulations to the 2024 Biota Award recipients!

Today, the Walder Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the Biota Awards. Now in its third year, the Biota Awards continue to advance early-career researchers who are working to understand, protect, and restore the unique and diverse ecosystems in Chicago and around the world.

“With ever-changing risks to our planet, the Biota Awards represent a key part of our commitment to supporting biodiversity research in Chicago,” said Elizabeth Walder, President and Executive Director of the Walder Foundation. “We are excited to support these researchers in our shared goal of fostering a city with diverse ecosystems for future generations to enjoy, and in elevating the contributions of the region to tackling the global biodiversity crisis.”

Each Biota Award recipient will receive $300,000 over three years to produce on-the-ground, unique solutions to biodiversity challenges facing our region. Research projects range from identifying invasive plant threats to Illinois and saving threatened trees from climate change to how bats, birds, people and buildings can co-exist.  

This year’s recipients include:

• Dr. Sean Hoban, a tree conservation biologist at The Morton Arboretum, was selected for his research titled Preserving Genetic Diversity in Trees: Integrating an Affordable, Rapid Approach With Action and Policy.
   
• Liza Lehrer, Assistant Director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at the Lincoln Park Zoo, was selected for her research titled BatTracker: community-driven research to monitor bats and connect Chicago residents to nature.

• Dr. Gabriela Nunez-Mir, Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, was selected for her research titled America's Next Top Invaders: Forecasting invasive range size of invasive plants using a traits-based framework.
   
• Dr. Yoel E. Stuart, Associate Professor at Loyola University Chicago, was selected for his research titled Building a mitochondrial genome database of Illinois fish to enhance eDNA surveys to improve conservation outcomes.
   
• Dr. Benjamin Van Doren, Assistant Professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was selected for his research titled Wings Over the Windy City: Science, Outreach, and Action to Protect Chicago's Migratory Birds. 

To learn more about this year’s Biota Awards and the Walder Foundation’s Environmental Sustainability program, please visit the Walder Foundation website.