Sun Bear Expert Team Co-chair

Olivia Cosby is an ecologist with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, where she supports applied wildlife research and collaborative conservation initiatives in Southeast Asia and North America. Her work focuses on coordinating interdisciplinary research networks that bring together scientists, communities, and land managers around shared conservation goals. In this role, she has led research efforts examining the spatio-temporal dynamics of large mammal communities and conservation challenges in mixed-use landscapes, including those relevant to sun bears. As Co-chair of the Sun Bear Expert Team, Olivia is excited to help support inclusive, well-coordinated, and science-informed approaches that draw on the collective expertise of the team to advance sun bear conservation across the species’ range.