A Deep Dive: Ocean Paradise and Palmyra Atoll

Alex Wegmann, Ph.D. is a conservation scientist dedicated to advancing the resilience of atoll ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. As Lead Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, Alex leads research and action across the Pacific, focusing on how restoring native forests and reestablishing seabird-driven nutrient pathways can help atolls withstand climate impacts such as sea-level rise and ocean warming.

Alex’s current work centers on transforming abandoned copra (coconut palm) plantationsack into biodiverse, native forests. These efforts, including demonstration projects at Palmyra Atoll, show how nature-based solutions can restore ecological functions, improve groundwater resources, and support both reef and terrestrial resilience. Alex collaborates with local communities, governments, and international partners to develop practical conservation solutions and to scale up interventions that benefit both nature and people.

With over two decades of experience, Alex has led initiatives to remove invasive species, restore seabird populations, and protect endangered plants and animals. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, serves on the board of Lab to Land, and has authored more than 40 scientific publications. Through science, partnership and innovation, Alex is helping shape a future where atoll ecosystems and their cultures thrive despite the challenges of climate change.

Kristan Uhlenbrock is the Executive Director of the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where she works to ensure science has a respected role in public discourse and policymaking. She is motivated by interesting people, places, problems and the potential for advancing our understanding of the world and the solutions we need to sustain it.

For the past two decades, she’s worked at the intersection of science, policy, community engagement and communication for organizations like the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the Center for American Progress, the American Geophysical Union, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the White House. In 2023, she received the National Academies Eric & Wendy Schmidt Excellence in Science Communication Award.

Kristan values giving back through leadership and volunteer roles, including serving on boards and committees for the American Meteorological Society, the Association of Science & Technology Centers, the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion, the Climate Democracy Initiative, among others. She holds an M.S. in Marine Science and M.A. in Science Writing.

In her free time, Kristan enjoys escaping to the outdoors, writing, and good food and drink with family and friends.