Taylor Edwards, MSc, PhD
Conservation Biologist, Herpetologist, Geneticist
99% of conservation is a social issue
As a scientist with a life-long passion for conservation I find the most joy in working on innovative and creative projects that have real-life applications. I try to achieve transdisciplinary outcomes through collaborations.
I pride myself on conducting collaborative research that spans academic institutions, federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations, and international borders. My work as a scientist ranges from measuring genetic diversity for the preservation of species to improving people’s lives through precision medicine at the AZClinCore.
I ultimately seek to incorporate issues of social justice, public health and economic disparity into conservation solutions; to truly practice and facilitate transdisciplinary research. I believe effective conservation requires thinking outside the box of specific disciplines and incorporating a wide variety of perspectives to address the rapid pace of environmental degradation.
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In addition to scientific colleagues, I look to include artists, educators and anyone working toward these goals.
Edwards, T. 2020. Scientific fieldwork ‘caught in the middle’ of US-Mexico border tensions. The Conversation https://theconversation.com/scientific-fieldwork-caught-in-the-middle-of-us-mexico-border-tensions-129530
Edwards, T. 2018. Amazon Turtle Diaries: an eco-travel expedition in Peru. The Tortoise magazine 2(3):88–99.
Edwards, T., A.E. Karl, M. Vaughn, P.C. Rosen, C. Meléndez-Torres and R.W. Murphy. 2016. The desert tortoise trichotomy: Mexico hosts a third, new sister-species of tortoise in the Gopherus morafkai–G. agassizii group. ZooKeys, 562:131–158. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.562.6124