Wallace J. Nichols '89

Wallace "J." Nichols '89 enjoys discovering nature. He spent his youth exploring oceans, forests and his family history -- sparking a fascination for genetics and animal migration, as well as human culture and conservation. He focused on these topics during undergraduate studies at DePauw, graduate studies at Duke University and University of Arizona, his academic research as a Fulbright Fellow and as a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences.

Through field research, work with commercial fishermen, and the time spent in coastal villages, Nichols encounters people with a common appreciation for the ocean's beauty, abundance and mysteries. Nichols finds successful conservation efforts often include unexpected alliances and that there is common ground to be found between so-called enemies of nature.

Nichols wanted to reach new constituencies with a positive and inclusive conservation message and building a network of like-minded people from diverse regions, backgrounds and careers who share a commitment to maintaining abundant life in the oceans and on the coasts. In 1998 he founded the Grupo Tortuguero, an international grassroots movement dedicated to restoring Pacific sea turtles and to sustaining management of ocean fisheries. In 1999 he co-founded and for five years directed WILDCOAST, an international conservation team dedicated to the protection of coastal wilderness where he and a diverse group of partners organized fishermen to protect endangered sea turtles and helped coastal ranchers protect their shores for future generations. In 2003 Nichols and eight others trekked 1,900 kilometers along the coast from Oregon to Mexico to bring attention to coastal and ocean issues.

He works with several universities and organizations to advance ocean protection, including as a senior research scientist at the Ocean Conservancy, research associate at California Academy of Sciences, conservation science advisor for ProPeninsula, is on a global bycatch study with Duke University and Blue Ocean Institute, and as a board member of Animal Alliance , Coastwalk, Drylands Institute, Oceana and Reef Protection International. He is also spearheading the Ocean Revolution, a program that inspires, involves and mentors the next generation of ocean conservation leaders. He is a regional vice chair of the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

His work has been featured in National Geographic, Scientific American, TIME, Newsweek and other international media. He is co- author of the children's book Chelonia: Return of the Sea Turtle, which was translated to Spanish and is distributed throughout Mexico to underprivileged youth. He is also co-author of the screenplay, Adelita's Journey, based on the true story of one loggerhead sea turtle's epic 24,000 kilometer migration from Japan to Mexico and back home again.