Paula Prist
About Paula Prist
Paula Prist is a Principal Scientist in Conservation & Health at EcoHealth Alliance, specializing in community ecology, landscape ecology, and landscape epidemiology. With a background in research from the Universidade de São Paulo, she focuses on the impact of habitat loss on wildlife diversity and zoonotic disease transmission.
Work at EcoHealth Alliance
Paula Prist currently serves as Principal Scientist for Conservation & Health at EcoHealth Alliance, a position she has held since 2023. She also works as a Senior Scientist, a role she began in 2022. In her capacity at EcoHealth Alliance, she develops projects focused on mammalian fauna, which include technical surveys and species monitoring. Her work emphasizes the relationship between conservation efforts and public health, particularly in the context of zoonotic diseases.
Education and Expertise
Paula Prist holds a Doctorate in Ecology from the Universidade de São Paulo, where she studied terrestrial ecosystem ecology from 2012 to 2016. She also earned a Master's degree in the same field from the same institution from 2009 to 2011. Her expertise encompasses community ecology, landscape ecology, and landscape epidemiology. She has a postdoctoral degree from the Landscape Ecology and Conservation Laboratory at the University of São Paulo.
Background
Before her current role, Paula Prist worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Universidade de São Paulo from 2017 to 2020. She also served as a Doctoral Researcher at the same university from 2012 to 2016. Additionally, she was an Associate Technical Consultant for the Pan American Health Organization from 2020 to 2021. Her background includes significant research on the impact of habitat loss and landscape structure on wildlife diversity and zoonotic disease transmission risk.
Achievements
Paula Prist has contributed to the understanding of zoonotic diseases through her research on the impact of forest restoration on spillover risk. She has identified knowledge gaps in the study of forest restoration's effects on zoonotic disease risk, particularly in tropical regions. Her published work includes strategies aimed at reducing zoonotic diseases through effective landscape management, showcasing her commitment to integrating conservation with public health.