Lily Kunkel

Lily Kunkel (they/them), PhD candidate

Department and School
Ecology, Evolution, & Environmental Biology, Arts & Sciences

Advisor Name
Shahid Naeem, Professor of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology

Bio
Lily Kunkel is a Two-spirit ecologist (Cherokee/Choctaw) from Portland, Oregon. In 2022, they graduated summa cum laude from NYU with a B.A. in Biology (Ecology Track) and a minor in Child & Adolescent Mental Health. Lily’s ecology thesis focused on avian biodiversity and environmental conditions in small urban cemeteries vs parks in NYC. Lily was also a member of the NYU Conceptual Development and Social Cognition Lab where they researched the impact of parent political ideology on children's punishment of in- vs out-group members. Following undergrad, Lily was part of the Bridge Program at Columbia, assisting on projects diversely investigating how biodiversity loss impacts ecosystem functioning. Their current research interests are interdisciplinary and include the intersection of cultural diversity and biodiversity, human-nature interactions, and urban ecology. Diverse work experiences in art, sustainability, and youth programming have also given them a passion for community engagement and creative science communication.

Favorite self-care ritual
beading while watching a comfort show

What is your favorite hangout on or off campus?
Green-Wood Cemetery, Governors Island, or Alice's Tea Cup

What is your recommended book/podcast?
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

To learn more about Lily, please connect on Linkedin.