Beatrice Youd

I’m interested in using a combination of field research and remote sensing methods to answer questions about the impacts of biodiversity and global change on species interactions and the organization and function of ecosystems. I’m focusing my PhD research on better understanding the connections between forest diversity and ecosystem resilience in New England tree species assemblages at the Harvard Forest. In a world so affected by the biodiversity and climate crises, I hope my research can be applied to inform ecosystem management and restoration practices connected to forest diversity and resilience. I’m originally from Beloit, Wisconsin and received a B.A. in Integrative Biology and a minor in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard University. I then spent a year abroad in Armenia with the M.C. Rockefeller Fellowship before joining the Cavender-Bares Lab in 2025.