"Kaitlyn Gaynor is an interdisciplinary ecologist, drawing on behavioral and community ecology to understand the roles that humans play in socio-ecological systems. Her current research focuses on the behavioral responses of large mammals to anthropogenic risk and reward, the effects of human disturbance on predator-prey interactions and the socio-ecological dynamics of conservation. She received her Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and completed her postdoctoral research at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis."
Early Career Fellows (2024–2028) elected for advancing the science of ecology and showing promise for continuing contributions:"
This award aims to celebrate the accomplishment of graduate students (MSc or PhD) within the Department of Zoology. This award will be given during the to a student who displays strong academic achievements during their degree as well as strong service within the department and their community.
The Crafoord Prize is one of the major international science prizes and is awarded in partnership between the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Crafoord Foundation in Lund.
The award was judged based on "the basis of contributions to the field of entomology, scientific importance of the research, and the qualifications of the applicant."