Rick Hamilton

rhamilton@tnc.org

Rick’s reputation and career have been built on his commitment to conservation in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, where he was raised. Since joining the Conservancy in 2005, Rick pursued a variety of ambitious research projects, including using genetic fingerprinting to track the dispersal of larvae produced by iconic coral reef fishes. In his current role as Melanesia Program Director, Rick pursues a ridge-to-reef collaborative approach to protecting the biological resources vital to everyday life and to healthy functioning ecosystems. Partnerships with governments and other institutions and extensive engagement and collaboration with local communities make these conservation and research efforts possible. (Interviewed by Manuel Mejia, June 2016 and Trina Leberer, Oct 2016.)