Dr Hollie Booth announced as a finalist in the Emerging Conservationist Award

Officials from the Indianapolis Prize—the world’s leading award for animal conservation— have named ten Finalists for the 2025 Emerging Conservationist Award and it includes Department of Biology Post Doctoral Researcher Dr. Hollie Booth.

The Emerging Conservationist Award, made possible by the Kobe Foundation, is given to a conservationist under the age of 40 who is making a clear impact saving a species or group of species. The Winner will receive $50,000 to further their efforts and will be honoured at the 2025 Indianapolis Prize Gala presented by Cummins Inc. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025.

The Indianapolis Prize is a signature conservation initiative of the Indianapolis Zoo. At a critical time for our planet, the Indianapolis Prize brings the world’s attention to the cause of animal conservation and the brave, talented and dedicated people who spend their lives saving the Earth’s endangered animal species.

Marine conservation researcher Hollie Booth has dedicated her career to designing and implementing effective programs to protect Indonesia's shark and ray populations. As the founder and chair of the NGO, Yayasan Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan, Hollie has worked with local government, researchers and small-scale fisheries to establish the world's first randomized controlled trial of pay-to release program for critically endangered sharks and rays. 

“When I started my PhD at Oxford in 2019 I always dreamed that my research would be used to drive conservation action and positive outcomes, so to have been on this journey from research to action and now be recognized as a finalists for the 2025 Emerging Conservationist Award is truly a dream come true!”

Hollie is interested in links between conservation and human well-being, designing and testing the effectiveness of conservation interventions, wildlife trade, and equitable & cost-effective nature conservation using mixed methods participatory research and evaluation.

“Tackling biodiversity loss while equitably meeting human needs is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, and solving it requires substantial and sustained changes to human behaviour and the social and economic structures in which we operate. We need an integrated approach, in which wealthy and powerful polluters are held accountable for their negative impacts, and grassroots NGOs work with de-facto owners and stewards of nature to implement effective and equitable projects on the ground. If we can tie the two together - in a just and meaningful way - we might just stand a chance creating a future where where nature and people can thrive together.”

Read more about the prize and the other finalists here: Top Ten Finalists for 2025 Emerging Conservationist Award - Indianapolis Zoo