About Dr Lucy Spelman

Dr. Lucy Spelman is a lifelong animal lover, educator, scientist, and writer. A board-certified zoo and wildlife veterinarian, she treats all species. Animals—both domestic and wild—have always been part of her life. She has an undergraduate degree in biology from Brown University and a doctoral degree in veterinary  medicine from the University of California at Davis. In 1994, she became the 43rd member of  the American College of Zoological Medicine, the first to achieve this milestone right out of residency training. Her work experience includes zoo, wildlife, and small animal medicine; public speaking; writing; teaching; zoo administration—she served as the first female Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo from 2000-2005; and, wildlife conservation.

In particular, her field experience includes Sichuan China, with giant pandas, Guyana with giant otters, and central Africa with mountain gorillas where she lived for three years as field manager for the nonprofit, Gorilla Doctors.

She began teaching biology to non-majors in 2009, initially as Visiting Assistant Professor at Brown University and then continuing as part-time Faculty in the Liberal Arts division of the Rhode Island School of Design where she teaches today.

Inspired by her cross-disciplinary teaching, her writing, and deep appreciation for the arts, she founded Creature Conserve in 2015. In her TEDx talk, Art Can Save a Panda she shares examples of student artwork and the origin of the non-profit’s mission. In her words: “Our foundational belief is that the arts, informed, inspired, and prompted by science, have the power to direct our attention to the ongoing loss of species and what we can do about it. 

ACADEMIC AREAS OF INTEREST

Dr Lucy enjoys teaching biology - especially zoology and wildlife conservation - to all who are interested in animals, nature, health and the interconnectedness of all life. Her passion for science education and outreach stems from her experiences as a clinical veterinarian as well as a zoo administrator and field manager. She also has considerable experience in the realm of science communication, having been filmed for various news interviews and television documentaries, and having worked as a media consultant and writer for the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and National Geographic. She is also a frequent public speaker.

Her scientific research interest is in the area of one-health medicine, a growing field of study that examines the interactions between animal, human and environmental health. Her academic interest is bringing together creatives from all backgrounds - especially artists and scientists - to learn about endangered species and their habitats, share empathy for animals, exchange ideas, and explore the intersection of art, science, and wildlife conservation.

At RISD, she has developed multiple new biology courses, including Biology of Human-Animal Interactions, Evolutionary Biology, Infectious Disease Triangles, and Comparative Anatomy. She also teaches a study abroad course, Southern Africa: Art and Science of Conservation. Her teaching goal is to help students learn the science behind a topic first, and then apply it to their work in the studio. She is especially interested in helping them make scientific information about the ongoing loss of biodiversity more real, understandable, and meaningful. In addition to the variety of courses she has developed for art and design students at RISD, her most recent book Creature Needs: Writers Respond to the Science of Animal Conservation is designed to inspire creative writers of all genres, including poetry and pose, to combine art and science in their work.

Books