Weaving nature more deliberately into the fabric of our urban communities can improve our quality of life. From urban parks to sustainable infrastructure, integrating nature into our cities makes us healthier, happier, smarter and safer.
On Oct. 25, the College of the Environment’s 2023 Doug Walker Lecture at Town Hall Seattle explored these topics and more with UW alum Heather Tallis, an environmental scientist and professor. Tallis serves as assistant director for biodiversity and conservation sciences at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, leads cross-agency work on nature-based solutions, connects nature to economics and initiated the National Nature Assessment.
Video of the event is now available on the College YouTube channel or viewable below.
About the speaker
Dr. Heather Tallis, Assistant Director for Biodiversity and Conservation Sciences at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, leads cross-agency work on nature-based solutions, connects nature to economics, and initiated the National Nature Assessment. Additionally, she serves as a Visiting Professor at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, and as a board member for NSERC ResNet, a Canadian research network promoting resilient ecosystems. She brings her expertise from The Nature Conservancy, the Natural Capital Project, and global platforms like the World Economic Forum. Her influence extends to vital projects including the U.S. National Climate Assessment and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. She received her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Washington, Seattle.
About the lecture series
The annual Doug Walker Lecture is named for Doug Walker, who was instrumental to the founding of the College of the Environment in 2009 as a co-chair of the Advisory Board and passionate advocate for the environment. Doug passed away tragically in 2016. In order to carry on and amplify Doug’s passion for outdoor recreation and his unending desire for learning, the College of the Environment hosts this annual lecture on health and nature.
