© 2008 Valerie Hickey

Made by Serif

Born in Ireland and a newly minted US citizen, Valerie earned a BA in History and Political Science from the University of Dublin, Trinity College and received an MA in International Peace Studies from the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame. Valerie, an NSF and James B. Duke Fellow, is a former Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow , and is currently working on a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Policy at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.

Valerie’s research focuses on measuring the success of protected areas and their management effectiveness, and dissecting the narratives used in biodiversity conservation to alternatively promote or protest the conservation of wildlands and wild life in the US and around the world. She advocates an environmental policy-making that is realistic about science and sensible about politics. Otherwise, if left unchecked, the duel between nature conservation and the quest for wealth in a world where economic growth remains the primary political solvent and GNP the touchstone of success will leave very little for very many.

While at Duke, Valerie was engaged with the National Park Service at Lake Mead National Recreation Area doing her field research. Valerie also worked as a visiting lecturer at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy, where she taught a course on conflict resolution and negotiation. Prior to coming to Duke, Valerie worked as a biodiversity specialist at the World Bank, focusing on natural resource projects in general, and protected area management projects in East Asia more specifically. Before that, she worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society, USAID’s Biodiversity Support Program, and the Irish Senate.