Elyse Defranco

Elyse DeFranco is an experienced professional in science writing and environmental biology, currently serving as the Lead Science Writer and Public Information Officer at the Desert Research Institute since October 2022. Previously, Elyse has operated as a self-employed science writer since May 2020 and held various positions including Wildlife Biologist at Nomad Ecology from 2015 to September 2021, and Course Instructor at the University of Maine during the 2018-2019 academic year. Additional experience includes roles as Research Project Manager at Princeton University, Wildlife Biologist at Garcia & Associates, Species Recovery Intern at Ventana Wildlife Society, Research Assistant at Environmental Genomics Lab, and Wildlife Rehabilitator at the California Wildlife Center. Educational qualifications include an M.Sc. in Science Communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a Master of Science in Ecology and Environmental Science from the University of Maine, and a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation and International Environmental Politics from the University of California, Berkeley.