Congratulations to the 2019 CWF Women & Wildlife Leadership Award honoree Nellie Tsipoura, PhD, Senior Research Scientist and Director of Citizen Science at the New Jersey Audubon Society
Join us to celebrate Nellie and the four other 2019 Women & Wildlife Award honorees on Wednesday, November 13th at 6 PM. Purchase events tickets and find more information.
Dr. Tsipoura has over 25 years of experience in bird ecology, behavior, and population biology. She excels in creating partnerships and innovative plans to address conservation needs for New Jersey’s urban birds. Highlights of her research include the role of people, contaminants and environmental forces – such as storms and erosion – on shorebirds and colonial nesting birds.
We asked Nellie a few questions about what inspires her to dedicate her career to New Jersey’s conservation:
Q: What is your favorite thing about your job?
A: I love my work and everything about it. Being in nature, contributing to wildlife conservation, trying to find solutions to problems, collecting and analyzing data, meeting and getting to know people who care about the same things I do, interacting with the public and with partners… and again, being in nature.
Q: What is one thing you can’t live without?
A: My binoculars!!!!
Q: Do you have a New Jersey wildlife species that you like best?
A: I like everything, but probably shorebirds are my favorite, and among shorebirds Sanderling!
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to change the world for wildlife?
A: Be persistent, there will be many hurdles along the way and progress is slow, but changes for the better do take place!
Q: What do you find most challenging about your profession?
A: Trying to convince people that wildlife matters and that they can and should do something about it.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working?
A: I enjoy traveling, whether it is to far-away destinations or simply to the shore or other local natural areas. I like the novelty of becoming immersed in a new environment and I am also content in the comfort of revisiting old favorite destinations.