Distinguished Speaker Series
Fostering meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange to empower the next generation of One Health leaders
The Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health Distinguished Speaker Series features leading experts invited from around the world to share their insights on the most pressing challenges facing wildlife health and conservation. Aligned with the center’s mission to transform science into impact, these presentations highlight groundbreaking applied research, innovative conservation strategies, and collaborative solutions that advance a healthier future for wildlife, people, and planet.
2026 Distinguished Speaker
Purnima Devi Barman
Conservation Biologist
Founder, Hargila Army
The Hargila Army—How Women Are Saving a Stork—and Transforming Conservation in Assam
October 7, 2026
Register to Attend
About Purnima Devi Barman
Affectionately known as the “Hargila Baideu” (Stork Sister), Dr. Purnima Devi Barman is an internationally recognized conservation biologist and founder of the Hargila Army, a women-led grassroots movement that has transformed public attitudes toward the endangered greater adjutant stork and helped drive a remarkable recovery of the species in Assam, India. Through community action, education, culture, and compassion, Dr. Barman has united thousands of women to protect the greater adjutant stork while creating new economic opportunities for women and strengthening community livelihoods, catalyzing a globally recognized model linking biodiversity conservation with women’s empowerment.
Her extraordinary contributions have earned her numerous international honors, including the UNEP Champion of the Earth (2022), Whitley Gold Award (2024), TIME Women of the Year (2025), and National Geographic Explorer and Wayfinder Award (2026), as well as India’s prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar.
2025 Distinguished Speakers
Craig Stephen
Veterinarian & Epidemiologist
Director, McEachran Institute
Lessons from the Field for Future Readiness in an Era of Polycrisis
March 28, 2025
Watch Dr. Stephen's Keynote Address
About Craig Stephen
Dr. Craig Stephen works globally with governments, the non-profit sector, community groups, universities, and industry on health issues at the nexus of people, animals, and environments. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to the development of One Health and in modernizing approaches to wildlife health. Stephen, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, is a veterinarian and epidemiologist and director of the McEachran Institute, a Canadian non-profit dedicated to provoking new ways of thinking about policy and practices that protect animals, health, and society in a rapidly changing world.
In addition to his Distinguished Speaker Keynote Address, Dr. Stephen also spoke at Cornell's Zoo and Wildlife Society Special Species Symposium, giving a talk entitled The Need for More C.A.R. in Wildlife Health: Consequences, Action, and Reverence. Watch his additional symposium lecture.
Marcela Uhart
Wildlife Veterinarian
Latin America Program Director, UC Davis
Why H5N1 Avian Influenza is a Daring Experiment in Global Health
March 28, 2025
Watch Dr. Uhart's Keynote Address
About Marcela Uhart
Dr. Marcela Uhart is a wildlife veterinarian with 30 years of experience in free-ranging wildlife health research and conservation across Latin America, with a particular focus on marine mammals and seabirds. She serves as the Director of the Latin America Program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Based in Patagonia, Argentina, Uhart specializes in addressing health challenges facing free-ranging wildlife, including the impacts of infectious diseases, toxins, and human interactions. Her work is grounded in a One Health approach, emphasizing the interconnected health of wildlife, humans, and ecosystems.
In addition to her Distinguished Speaker Keynote Address, Dr. Uhart also spoke at Cornell's Zoo and Wildlife Society Special Species Symposium, giving a talk entitled H5N1 Avian Influenza: An Emerging Conservation Crisis. Watch her additional symposium lecture.