Shahid Naeem is an ecologist and conservation biologist and is a Lenfest Distinguished professor and chair in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology at Columbia University.

Shahid Naeem is a renowned ecologist and professor that was born in California and grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a neighborhood of New York City.

[2] Naeem considered becoming a doctor or illustrator, but ultimately decided to pursue a career in science as an ecologist and professor.

[1] In 2008, Naeem was honored as a Lenfest Distinguished Columbia Faculty, an award that recognizes excellent teaching, scholarship, and mentorship.

In 2014, Reuters named Shahid Naeem as one of the world's most influential scientific minds for ecological and environmental sciences.

[15][16][17] He has also been interviewed by establishments such as The Atlantic and Landscape News to provide explanations how biodiversity loss impacts environmental health.

[18][3] He worked part time as a laboratory technician in an ecology lab through the University of California, Berkeley while pursuing a career as an illustrator.