Dr. Alfonso Alonso is the Head of the Center for Conservation Sustainability at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, where he supports interdisciplinary efforts to advance biodiversity conservation, sustainability science, and evidence‑based environmental decision‑making. Based in Washington, DC, he works at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, helping translate scientific insight into actionable strategies that address global conservation challenges.
In his role, Alfonso collaborates closely with researchers, institutional partners, and program leaders to strengthen organizational impact and ensure that biodiversity conservation initiatives are strategically aligned, operationally effective, and outcomes‑driven. His work emphasizes long‑term sustainability, cross‑sector collaboration, and the integration of ecological, social, and economic considerations into conservation planning.
Alfonso’s passion for nature began early in life while traveling throughout Mexico, his country of origin, with his parents. He pursued undergraduate studies in biology, where he developed a focus on the ecology and conservation of the monarch butterfly—a topic he continued to explore during his master’s and doctoral studies at the University of Florida. He enjoys giving talks and collaborating with people from diverse cultures, and his research has taken him across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. He has published over 150 scientific articles and six books.