Spontaneous Vegetation

Dr. Nalini Nadkarni is a Professor of Biology and forest ecologist at the University of Utah. She studies the plants and animals that live in rainforest canopies, with support from the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society. She has written over 130 scientific papers and three books. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge about trees with all sectors in society. She has collaborated with modern dancers, poets, and creative writers to communicate the beauty and complexity of forests to arts audiences, and partnered with corporations to convey the importance of trees to public groups who might not otherwise be interested in forests. She has brought science lectures, conservation projects, and nature imagery to the incarcerated in prisons across the country. Her work has been featured in journals ranging from Science and the Journal of Ecology to Glamour and Playboy Magazine. Her recent national awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the AAAS Award for Public Engagement, the Will