The NURJ

Alex Roessner is a current senior at Northwestern University majoring in Economics and Environmental Policy while minoring in Chinese. Passionate about finding innovative solutions to the global biodiversity crisis, Alex’s interest in the Earth’s natural cycles and the anthropogenic disruptions affecting them led him to take up photography and advocate for change. In late 2023, Alex co-founded SYMBA, a blockchain startup optimizing resource flow to global conservation projects through impact investment and large-scale functional conservation efforts enhanced by data processes.​ Alex is currently developing automated systems for classifying and analyzing camera trap data, aiming to streamline R&D processes and accelerate conservation project development. Alex advocates for an anti-colonialist approach in conservation, emphasizing the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge and perspectives.