
Lab Members
ZUZANA BURIVALOVA
Principal Investigator
-
Laura Berman - Postdoctoral researcher
I am a conservation ecologist interested in the dynamics of ecological systems, and how those dynamics can be disrupted by climate change and environmental degradation. I completed my PhD at the National University of Singapore and have worked in affiliation with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the Great Basin Bird Observatory, USGS, and NASA. My research past and present includes long-term soundscape monitoring, tropical phenology, population genomics, acoustic niche partitioning, machine learning, and biodiversity modeling. My field work has primarily been in Southeast Asia, South America, and the United States. As part of the Sound Forest Lab, I work on the Soundscape Baselines project.
-
Santiago Perea Arroyo
I am an ecologist and conservation biologist with a strong interest in understanding the factors that shape the distribution and abundance of animal populations and their interactions with landscapes. Combining fieldwork and data analysis, I enjoy working with large datasets, including acoustic and camera trap data, spatial data, and citizen science, to address key conservation challenges. My current work on the Soundscape Baselines project integrates advanced modeling techniques, machine learning, and remote sensing to study biodiversity in tropical forests. Through this research, I aim to uncover patterns in biodiversity and develop actionable strategies to tackle pressing ecological and conservation challenges.
-
H S Sathya Chandra Sagar (Sagara) - Honorary Fellow
I am a conservation scientist and a field biologist interested in developing effective conservation strategies to protect biodiversity, particularly in tropics. I use a combination of field observation, conservation technology, econometrics, and policy research to address delicate issues and provide evidence for conservation advocacy. I graduated with a PhD in Forestry, which he completed in 2024 at the Sound Forest Lab. I evaluated the co-benefits of REDD+ project in Sierra Leone and devising a strategy to reduce human-wildlife conflict. I grew up in the Western Ghats to a coffee-farming family beside a Tiger reserve. I love to walk wilderness, observe wildlife, and sail. website: Conservation Chorus
Previous lab members
-
Tatiana Maeda
PhD in Environment & Resources
Tatiana is a Brazilian biologist with a MS in Environmental Conservation, who did her PhD with the Sound Forest Lab. Her degree is in Environment and Resources from the Nelson Institute. She collaborated with The Nature Conservancy and local communities in Mexico to understand the impacts of wood harvesting and habitat loss on tropical biodiversity. Tatiana is the Gaylord Donnelley Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University.
-
Grace Ingram
Grace was a Research Intern in the Sound Forest Lab, working on the Soundscape Baselines Project. She is interested in community based conservation and community based natural resource management on the African continent. Grace is particularly interested in exploring these things through ecotourism and cultural and heritage tourism initiatives.
-
Natalie (Tally) Yoh
Postdoctoral researcher (2022-2023)
Tally is a conservation scientist focused on understanding the impacts of landscape-scale disturbance on tropical biodiversity. Her research in the Sound Forest Lab focused on using soundscapes to assess the value of forest certification for species in logged forests in Gabon. Tally is a co-chair of the British Ecological Society ALDER network, and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kent.
-
Walter Mbamy
Walter is a biodiversity conservation scientist currently pursuing a PhD at the Omar Bongo University in Gabon. He collaborated with the Sounds Forest Lab as a consultant for a 3 year project on bioacoustics in logging concessions, and published this research in Biological Conservation.
-
Zakher Bouragaoui
MSc in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Zakher is an ecologist and conservation scientist from Tunisia, who completed his masters degree with the Sound Forest Lab in 2023. Zakher was a Fulbright student at UW-Madison and is the Vice-President of the Tunisian Association for Wildlife.
-
Bennett Rabach
Undergraduate Researcher, Zoology and art major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
”Working in the Sound Forest Lab allowed me to conduct research investigating the effectiveness of various restoration techniques while analyzing the environmental, social, and economic effects of forest restoration globally.” -
Gwen Richardson
Undergraduate Researcher, Political Science major with minors in Environmental Studies and Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
“Through my work as an undergraduate researcher in the Sound Forest Lab, I aspire to make an impact in preserving wildlife and their habitat. I am interested in the effectiveness of various conservation strategies and the impact they have on the environment, economy, and local community. It is my hope that through this holistic approach to research more inclusive solutions to environmental problems can be found.”
-
Isaac Youb
Masters at the Bern Applied University of Sciences.
Isaac worked with the Sound Forest Lab on comparing bioacoustics and camera trapping in Gabon’s rainforest. Isaac is currently based in Gabon where he applies his expertise in managing the environmental impact of infrastructure.
-
Yuren Sun
Undergraduate Researcher, Computer Sciences and Economics major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I am interested in the applications of Computer Sciences, especially data analysis and machine learning, to other fields to try to solve challenging problems. I used machine learning for research on the rainforest biodiversity.”
-
Tatiana Satchivi
Graduate student in Tropical Forest Conservation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I have a strong interest in wildlife monitoring in African countries and ecology. I am also interested in bringing awareness about the importance of biodiversity to local communities and to find a balance between the daily needs of these communities and the protection of biodiversity.”
-
Fangjun Zhou
Undergraduate Researcher, Computer Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I’m interested in topics concerning machine learning and computer graphics. I am also a video game developer. My team and I have developed several games and I hope I can develop games that can educate young players and advertise concept of environmental protection.”
-
Lauren Carlson
Undergraduate Researcher, majoring in Environmental Science and Conservation Biology at UW-Madison.
“I am interested in the ways that bioacoustics and new technologies can be used for conservation and what they can tell us about the ways that humans are affecting the environment.”