Barbara Martinez Joins EESI Board of Directors

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is delighted to welcome a new member, Barbara Martinez, to its board of directors. Martinez is a conservation biologist who firmly believes that innovation and science can help reverse and prevent our planet’s greatest problems.

“As a scientist, I love that EESI puts science first. As an optimist, I love that EESI focuses on solutions. I’m really looking forward to contributing to EESI’s critical climate and environmental policy work.”

Barbara Martinez is the Director of Science (Land) for the National Geographic Society’s Science & Innovation team. She supports National Geographic Explorers who are striving to understand, explore, and conserve terrestrial and freshwater systems around the world.

Prior to joining the National Geographic Society, Martinez was the Open Innovation Director at Conservation X Labs (CXL) for over six years. While at CXL, she designed and implemented four global grand challenges and two hackathons; researched conservation problems and solutions in topic areas related to water and biodiversity conservation, including small-scale mining, microplastic pollution, invasive species, and aquaculture; and advised several other open innovation initiatives. Prior to joining CXL, she was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow hosted by the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and then an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-doctoral Fellow hosted by EPA’s Office of the Science Advisor.

Martinez has spent time studying endocrine disruption in prairie voles, as well as many years in remote field sites studying songbird behavior and seed dispersal by lemurs, hornbills, and monkeys. She has a PhD in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota with a minor in Development Studies and Social Change, and a BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

"EESI is all about advancing science-based solutions, and so we feel it’s critically important to have scientists on our board," said EESI Board Chair Jared Blum. "Barbara’s scientific savvy and can-do attitude is a perfect fit for EESI. She will bring a whole lot of expertise and passion to our board, and I really look forward to working with her.”

"Barbara’s insights and enthusiasm for EESI’s mission will be incredible assets to our organization," said Monty Cooper, chair of the EESI Nominations Committee. "I’m proud that our board is stronger than it’s ever been, with a wide range of diverse viewpoints, strengths, and expertise."

"I’m so pleased that Barbara has agreed to join our board," said EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette. "She is the kind of person we at EESI aspire to be: passionate but rooted in science. Her contribution to our critical work advancing sustainable solutions will be very valuable, and very welcome.”

See a full list of EESI's board members here.