Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. Villanova prepares students to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them.


The strength of the Villanova experience comes in part from the University’s welcoming community. All members are bonded together by a shared responsibility to uphold the ideals of Saint Augustine and let the principles of truth, unity and love guide their lives. The Villanova community helps students grow intellectually, professionally and spiritually, and challenges them to reach their full potential.


The University’s rigorous academic experience, rooted in the liberal arts, forms an environment in which students and professors are partners in learning. The Villanova community is dedicated to providing a personalized experience that fosters every student’s intellectual and spiritual well-being. As part of their education, students are encouraged to enrich their own lives by working for those in need. Through academic and service programs, students use their knowledge, skills and compassion to better the world around them.


There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. These colleges are the setting for an experience that develops both the heart and the mind, and creates the atmosphere where students are called to ignite change.


Villanova University is located in a suburban community 12 miles west of Philadelphia, Pa.

Villanova University

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Ecological Society of America : Member, 2018 - Present

Collaborative to Combat the Illegal Trade in Turtles : Member, 2023 - Present

Society for Conservation Biology : Member, 2024 - Present

How Do We Identify Anthropogenic Allee Effects in the Wildlife Trade?

Does fortune follow function? Exploring how consumer preferences drive the functional trait composition of the global songbird trade

Multiple co-occurring bioeconomic drivers of overexploitation can accelerate rare species extinction risk

The global wildlife trade is an expansive and growing industry that touches nearly every branch of the tree of life. Wildlife trade is a known threat to global biodiversity, threatening species directly through overexploitation and indirectly by facilitating the spread of invasive species and zoonotic pathogens. At the same time, wildlife trade can also be an essential source of human livelihood and food security, underly important cultural and community traditions, and foster connections between people and nature. Dr. Ryan Almeida seeks to understand the biological and socioeconomic conditions that can result in wildlife trade becoming unsustainable.

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