Olivia Cavalluzzi
(she/her)
Hello! I am a wildlife conservation biologist, environmental educator, and nature artist. My research and interests span both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, with a focus on human-wildlife interactions, environmental justice, and queer ecology.
I have a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Washington and am interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in wildlife conservation with a focus on social disparities in 2027. I am always open to making new connections and discussing our shared research interests!
I am currently a NOAA affiliated UW researcher, where I am studying Alaskan groundfish diets to support sustainable fishery research and management. My recent employment includes the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and several local Seattle-area wildlife nonprofits. I have had the priviledge to work with a variety of groups and organizations to support wildlife and human success, including school districts, government agencies, tribes, universities, nonprofits, and more.
Values
I focus my work around equity and diverse human perspectives. I do not believe that wildlife conservation is possible without a deep understanding of a community's needs and cultures. I have 11 years of experience as an environmental educator, and I believe that open and honest communication with community members of all ages and backgrounds is essential to both wildlife conservation and increased human wellbeing.
I am a proud queer woman, and I instill my lived experiences of queerness, as well as the growing field of queer ecology, in all of my work. I am also cognizant of my immense privilege as a white, cisgender, able-bodied, and neurotypical person with United States citizenship, and work to actively support voices different than my own while recognizing the unfair benefits I receive because of the body I was born into.
Research Interests
I am interested in the intersection between wildlife conservation and environmental justice. I believe that wildlife conservation and justice for historically disenfranchised communities are indivisibly intertwined, and supporting one goal supports the other. My goal is to work with communities to find win-win solutions for all involved.
Queer ecology is essential to modern wildlife conservation. Queer ecology works to dismantle false dichotomies such as "humans vs. animals" and "man-made vs. natural," and "nature vs. wilderness." Western science's collective unwillingness to question social biases such as heteronormativity and human exceptionalism has left blindspots in wildlife research that need to be further studied.
I am interested in all wildlife, both terrestrial and aquatic, and believe having a thorough understanding of organisms living in different environments is essential to understanding how ecosystems interact. That being said, I am particularly interested in urban wildlife, raptors, and mammalian carnivores.
I strive for all of my work to be conservation-forward, as opposed to finding conservation uses after the research has been completed. I also believe in sharing my work with the larger community, not just the scientific community, as well as letting the community guide my work from the beginning. Community outreach and education is essential to being a successful wildlife conservationist.
A bit more about me...
Outside of work, I live with my beautiful soon-to-be wife, Rebecca, and our two cats, Finn and Rowan. I am an avid mountain biker and can always be found outside. I am an artist of all kinds, including sewing my own nature-inspired ball gowns from upcycled fabric, creating skull earrings from owl pellet bones, calligraphed letters with wax seals, and so much more! Visit my " The Artful Biologist" page to see more!
