STEFAN @ SANTIAGO, CHILE

Stefan Gelcich is an Associate Professor at the Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile where he studies the social-ecological dimensions of environmental conservation and marine fisheries management. Much of Stefan’s work is focused on the interplay between ecological and governance determinants in implementing and effectively managing protected areas. He also has a long-standing interest on the links between fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental attitudes of stakeholders. Stefan’s conservation efforts have generally involved the creation of demonstration-scale experiments and learning platforms for conservation. Foremost among these has been the creation of a new conservation model in Chile that involves the participation of fisher unions, academics, and local councils in the creation of protected areas. He is a regional councilor for Global Green Grants, an environmental NGO that awards small grants to grassroots movements engaging in environmental issues, and was awarded a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation in 2014.