Yufang Gao serves as a research associate with Yale InterAsia Initiative and provides advisory support to several conservation organizations. He also founded the Conservation Edgewalkership Program, helping individuals dedicated to the harmonious coexistence of humans and animals. He has collaborated with various local and international organizations in wildlife research and conservation. His areas of expertise encompass human-wildlife coexistence, illegal wildlife trade, Tibetan Buddhism and ecology, conservation strategy, and capacity building. He holds a joint Ph.D. in Conservation Science and Environmental Anthropology from Yale University, a master’s degree in environmental science from Yale School of the Environment, and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Peking University.