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BRI will have a display table with some of our science communications, book, and other materials.

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Portland, ME – Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) announces the appointment of John Schmerfeld as the new director of science operations. In this position, he will be responsible for the development and oversight of short-term and long-term strategic goals of the Institute’s four research centers and 17 science programs.

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A few years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Terry Tempest Williams speak at a local event. I don’t remember many details of her talk, but I do remember her passion, her commitment, and her dedication to being a voice for the environment. Her book, Finding Beauty in a Broken World has been a guidepost for me as a science writer and writing instructor.

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Biodiversity encompasses much more than the number of species—it includes the variety of ecosystems, the genetic diversity within and between species, and the interactions among species within ecosystems.

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It’s August in South Dakota and a weeklong heat wave where temperatures surpassed 100 degrees has just ended. Thankful for a reprieve from the stifling warmth, I head out early on my day off to explore Badlands National Park. I’ve been staying in Fort Pierre, which is situated on the Missouri River, just across from the capital city of Pierre.

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Working in the grasslands, Billi spent her days interacting with ranch staff, many of whom are working on multigenerational operations. “I try to approach any kind of interaction with as much humility as I can.” Billi acknowledges she is a visitor to these areas, and curiously seeks out the inherent knowledge of others, whether it’s the grasslands of South Dakota or the rainforests of Central Africa.

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BRI’s story began in 1989 with the capture of a loon on a Michigan lake. Back then, it was all about the science, but over time, founder Dave Evers began to understand that knowledge for knowledge’s sake wasn’t enough.

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Tucked around a corner in his office, you’ll often find Mark Burton, with a laser focus on his work. Mark walked through the doors of BRI seven years ago as an intern in the Center for Mercury Studies, working on the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis database.

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Leonardo DiCaprio—actor, producer, and activist? You got that right. DiCaprio uses his Instagram page to shed light on environmental issues. Scrolling through his Instagram, he shares articles about restoring forests in Madagascar, rewilding projects in Scotland, and salmon farms in Canada.

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Spending a sunny day on a boat in Casco Bay isn’t a bad summer job, at least not for BRI biologists Helen Yurek and Logan Route. On a Thursday morning, we loaded up into a boat to set off in search of Common Eiders, sea ducks that spend most of their time along rocky seacoasts.

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To advance scientific understanding of mercury exposure in biota from around the world, an esteemed group of almost 200 scientists from more than 30 countries collaborated on producing 18 peer-reviewed papers that form a Special Issue of Ecotoxicology titled Assessing Global Environmental Mercury Exposure in Biota and Potential Impacts on Biodiversity.

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El Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA) anuncia la publicación del artículo científico "Global Mercury Concentrations in Biota: Their Use as a Basis for a Global Biomonitoring Framework” en la revista científica Ecotoxicology.

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Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) announces the publication of the scientific paper Global Mercury Concentrations in Biota: Their Use as a Basis for a Global Biomonitoring Framework in the journal Ecotoxicology. The paper describes for the first time currently available mercury data for fish and wildlife on a global scale.

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Mercury studies in Indonesia. Climate change studies in Tanzania. Biodiversity studies in South Dakota. Marine mammal surveys in the Atlantic Ocean.

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The sun shines on the cold, deep blue ocean at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Portland Head Light, an iconic landmark that draws in three million visitors each year, stands proudly at the edge of the rocky shore.

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Dynamic Duo Brave High Seas for High Stakes

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The ocean covers approximately 70 percent of Earth’s surface and is the largest livable space on our planet. Deep below there exists a realm inhabited by a wide variety of marine mammals—whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and manatees—that embody a mysterious and profound connection to cultures worldwide.