From Roots to Canopy

National Geographic Explorer at Large Nalini Nadkarni interweaves her research on rainforest canopy biota with innovative public engagement. Currently a biology professor at the University of Utah, she has written 150 scientific papers and books, and has cast new insights on the importance of canopy plants in ecosystem processes—and the effects of human activities on forest diversity and function. Nadkarni has innovated engagement with non-traditional groups, including faith-based groups, corporations, and people who are incarcerated. Her programs guide people in carceral institutions to rear endangered species for ecological restoration projects, providing them with direct ways to contribute to preserving Earth’s biodiversity even while incarcerated. As a National Geographic Explorer, she has convened artists, slam poets, and modern dancers to disseminate their own perceptions of forest canopies to arts audiences. She has integrated her approach into what she terms ‘tapestry thinking,’ bringing together seemingly disconnected ways of knowing, and tailoring the qualities of nature through the values of others to amplify the power of nature and the need to protect it. Her work is featured in academic journals and public media such as Science Friday, Playboy, TIME, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, and RadioLab. Her awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the AAAS Award for Public Engagement, the National Science Foundation Award for Public Service, the Wilson Award for the Advancement of Social Justice, the Archie Carr Medal for Conservation, and the Rachel Carson Award for Conservation.