The American Institute of Biological Sciences is pleased to announce Dr. Nyeema C. Harris as the 2023 winner of its Inspiring Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Acceptance, and Learning (IDEAL) Leadership Award. The IDEAL Award recognizes commendable leadership in advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, acceptance, accessibility, and learning in the biological sciences community. The award was presented by past awardee Dr. Steward T. A. Pickett on 30 November 2023 at AIBS’s Council of Member Societies and Organizations meeting, entitled “Expanding the Idea.”
Dr. Nyeema C. Harris, the 2023 winner of the Inspiring Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Acceptance, and Learning (IDEAL) Leadership Award
“Dr. Harris’s work is tremendously important. We applaud her steadfast dedication both to science and the diverse community of practitioners who are its foundation,” said AIBS CEO Scott Glisson. “On behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences, I offer my congratulations and thank Dr. Harris for her contributions to science and society.”
Dr. Nyeema C. Harris, a native of Philadelphia and an avid nature lover, directs the Applied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) Lab in the Yale School of the Environment. Her lab aims to promote human–wildlife coexistence around the world in urban, agricultural, and protected landscapes while demonstrating a commitment to public engagement and inclusivity. Prior to joining Yale University in 2021, she held positions for the US Forest Service, Philadelphia Zoo, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and WWF International. Harris co-founded the Black Ecologist Section of the Ecological Society of America and recently completed an NSF-funded project centered on environmental literacy in urban youth in Detroit.
Find out more about our commitment to increasing inclusion, diversity, equity, acceptance and accessibility (IDEA2) in the biological sciences.