When it comes to solving problems, the saying goes, two or more heads are
often better than one. At Lincoln Park Zoo, more heads means bigger
problems. Dominic Travis, D.V.M., director of the zoo’s
Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, explains: “By having many
different people in the room at the same time working together, you can
tackle bigger, more complicated questions.” That collaborative approach
enables zoo scientists to uncover solutions to a variety of pressing
conservation issues.
In the past 10 years, the number of zoo scientists has swelled from one to
14 and counting. With resident specialists in everything from population
biology to epidemiology, the zoo can draw on a broad
range of expertise when untangling knotty conservation dilemmas. “We’re
fortunate our staff can fill a lot of research roles,” says Steve Thompson,
Ph.D., vice president and Emily and John Alexander Chair of Conservation and
Science.
Having a large research staff enables the zoo not only to tackle bigger
problems, but to also tackle problems more scientifically. “For us, teamwork
isn’t just an approach we use to get things
done faster,” says Thompson. “It’s a whole philosophy at the
zoo that allows us to bring rigorous science to bear on all aspects of a
problem.”
And while the collaboration starts at home, it doesn’t end there. Lincoln
Park Zoo scientists engage in a mind-boggling array of projects with
scientists from around the world. “That’s what’s different about Lincoln
Park Zoo,” says Thompson. “When we begin a new research initiative we
actively search for collaborators. We ask, ‘Who knows this area? Who has the
expertise we need for this project?’ and then we bring them on board.”
Professional help flows the other way as well, with the zoo’s four research
centers and programs serving as a resource for other scientists in search of
project colleagues.
Next: Gombe's Team
