6 Questions with Noëlle Wyman Roth: From Evaluation to Action in Conservation

Noelle Wyman Roth is a program evaluator and researcher who is passionate about using data to strengthen programs, policies, and practices that drive positive change. She provides training, consultation, and guidance on program evaluation, social science research methods, and qualitative data analysis software. In addition to her consulting work, Noelle is an instructor at Duke University, where she teaches graduate-level courses on program evaluation and qualitative methods.

1) We always like to start by asking how you got into your field. Can you share what inspired your journey into conservation and human behaviour?

My path into this field really began during my undergraduate studies at Boston College, where I majored in Political Science and minored Environmental Studies. I was fascinated by how environmental issues intersect with policy and people’s everyday decisions. That interest grew during my Master’s at Duke, where I focused on environmental policy and sustainable agriculture; I was deeply interested in the local food movement and among the students who helped establish the Duke Campus Farm. I also fell in love with social science research - especially qualitative methods - as a graduate student, and went on to work in environmental education research. Over time, I realised that what excited me most was not just generating knowledge, but using research to understand whether programs and initiatives are actually working - and how people respond to them. That curiosity led me into applied research and, more specifically, program evaluation. Throughout my career, whether teaching, conducting research, or consulting, I’ve been motivated by the same passion: using data and evidence to improve programs and create positive social and environmental change.

2) Can you share a bit about your involvement with the IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force and projects you've contributed to.

I became involved with the IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force after a former supervisor shared with me a post from Diogo for a short-term research consultancy with the Task Force. I sent along a proposal and was excited to hear back and join the team. I provided capacity building for the Task Force around qualitative data analysis, as well as technical support during the analytical process. I worked closely with the team and was ultimately invited to co-author the Task Force’s first flagship report: Mainstreaming behaviour change in biodiversity conservation: needs, barriers and ways forward. The report draws on interviews with 71 conservation experts worldwide, including members of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. The goal of the needs assessment was to highlight why behaviour change strategies often aren’t fully integrated into biodiversity conservation - and, more importantly, to chart practical ways forward. It was a collaborative, global effort, and I found it both challenging and inspiring to be part of shaping this work.

3) Could you tell us about any exciting projects or research you’re currently working on?

Alongside the Task Force report, I’ve been fortunate to work on a range of projects that keep me both challenged and energised. For example, I recently provided some capacity building in program evaluation for a group of watershed STEM education and aquaculture literacy programs. What I loved about that work was exploring how evaluation can move beyond being just a reporting requirement and instead become a real learning tool for the people involved. We asked questions like: How can evaluation help teams reflect together, make sense of results collaboratively, and even find the process energising rather than intimidating? I’m also serving as added evaluation capacity for a marine conservation organisation, through which I am supporting data analysis and evaluation planning for two of their educational programs. Those kinds of projects remind me why I love this work—I get to combine rigorous methods with creative, people-centered approaches. Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep exploring opportunities that let me blend teaching, consulting, and collaborative research in ways that contribute to positive change in the environment and conservation field. 

4) In your opinion, what is one of the biggest challenges the world faces in driving meaningful behaviour change toward conservation?

One of the biggest challenges I see is the tension between individual agency and the broader context in which we operate. There’s only so much I can do personally to reduce my environmental footprint, and while individual actions absolutely matter, what’s vitally important is collective action that changes the larger systems and structures we live within. That’s hard to achieve, especially when issues like climate change are politically charged and divisive in many places. I think the challenge lies in connecting the dots - between individual behaviour change, collective action, and broader policy shifts. At the same time, I believe in celebrating incremental progress. Small wins still matter, even if we aren’t yet where we want to be.

5) Who is someone in the conservation world (or beyond) that you look up to or that has influenced your career?

I’ve been fortunate to have an incredible network of women who’ve opened doors and guided me throughout my career. My first supervisor at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, Charlotte Clark, taught the qualitative research course that originally set me on this path and has remained a generous and steady mentor whose support continues to shape my professional journey. Over eight years of working together, I learned so much from Jessica Sperling at Duke’s Social Science Research Center about evaluation and working in partnership with community organisations; this continues to shape how I approach collaboration. Nicole Ardoin’s research at Stanford’s Doerr School of Sustainability has also been influential, and she encouraged me for the past decade to pursue my interests —she even connected me with opportunities that align with where I want to grow. And I continue to be inspired by Karen Peterman at Catalyst Consulting, who has built a company that takes on meaningful, resonant work that I’m fortunate to support. All of these women, in different ways, have helped me get clearer about the kind of work I want to do, and I’m grateful to continue learning from them.

6) As you look ahead, what are your goals or hopes for the future of conservation and behaviour change?

From my perspective as an evaluator, I think one of the most critical needs is to build stronger evidence about what works, what doesn’t, and why. Too often, evaluation is treated as a reporting requirement for funders, rather than as a learning tool. But if we use evidence thoughtfully, it can genuinely shape how programs are designed, implemented, and scaled—we can learn and continually adapt. Of course, best practices exist, but contexts, cultures, and values differ, so what succeeds in one place may not work in another. My hope is that the conservation and behaviour change fields continue to embrace evidence-based learning as an ongoing process - so that programs are not only broadly effective but also responsive to the unique needs of the communities they serve.

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