Alejandra Echeverri

Research Description

Dr Echeverri’s research sits at the intersection of Neotropical ornithology, conservation psychology, environmental policy, and biocultural conservation. Dr Echeverri’s lab integrates biological field work (such as bird surveys) with quantitative social surveys and qualitative content analysis to understand human relationships with nature. Specifically, she studies how people's behaviors towards the environment (such as habitat conversion) impact the species that live in such environments. She also studies peoples’ attitudes and behaviors towards biodiversity, and the interrelationships between nature and culture to advance the science on biocultural conservation. Her work is co-produced with Indigenous peoples and local communities, governments, and policymakers to codevelop and inform environmental policies.

Education

BSc in Biology. Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia (2012)

MSc in Resource Management and Environmental Studies. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (2015)

PhD in Resources, Environment, and Sustainability. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (2019)

Recent Teaching

ESPM C103/IB 156- Principles of Conservation Biology (Undergraduate course)

ESPM 231- Behavioral Foundations for Environmental Policy and Wildlife Conservation (Graduate course)

ESPM 281- Seminar in Wildlife Conservation (Graduate seminar)

Selected Publications

For a full list visit: Google Scholar

• Echeverri, A., et al… & Ocampo-Peñuela, N. (2025) Toward sustainable biocultural ecotourism: An integrated spatial analysis of cultural and biodiversity richness in Colombia. People and Nature 7(1):194-214.

• Echeverri, A., et al… & Lambin, E.F. (2023). Colombian biodiversity is governed through a rich and diverse policy mix. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 7(3):382-392.

• Echeverri, A., Guzman, L.M., Heredia, S., Ocampo-Peñuela, N., Umaña, M.N. (2022). Renegotiating identities in international academic careers. Nature Ecology and Evolution. 6(12):1796-1798.

• Echeverri, A., et al… & Daily, G.C. (2022). Biodiversity and infrastructure interact to drive tourism to and within Costa Rica. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(11): e2107662119.

• Echeverri, A., et al… & Chan, K.M. (2021). Avian cultural services peak in tropical wet forests. Conservation Letters, 14(2), e12763.

• Echeverri, A., et al… & Chan, K.M. (2020). Can avian functional traits predict cultural ecosystem services?. People and Nature, 2(1), 138-151.

• Echeverri, A., et al… & Zhao, J. (2019). Iconic manakins and despicable grackles: Comparing cultural ecosystem services and disservices across stakeholders in Costa Rica. Ecological Indicators, 106, 105454.

Selected Honors and Awards

• CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar. Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (2024)

• Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award Nominee. UCLA (2021)

• Stanford Postdoc JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Champion Award (2021)

• Freda Pagani Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation. UBC (2020)

• Raja Rosenbluth Award for Women in Biological Sciences. UBC (2018)

• Les Lavkulich Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service. UBC (2017)

• Freda Pagani Award for outstanding master’s thesis. UBC (2016)

• Werner and Hildegard Hesse Research Award in Ornithology. UBC (2016)

• National Geographic Young Explorer (2016)