Winston Salem Times

Claudia Vega, a fellow at Wake Forest University’s Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability, has been named a 2025 TED Fellow. Her recognition comes from her pioneering work on the impacts of mercury pollution caused by illegal gold mining in the Amazon.

Vega's research focuses on how mercury moves through ecosystems and food chains. This work informs policies aimed at protecting both environmental and human health, especially in Indigenous communities. As an analytical chemist and wildlife veterinarian, she combines lab research with fieldwork to study mercury accumulation in aquatic environments, its entry into the food web, and its risks to human health and wildlife.

In her role as Mercury Program Coordinator at the Wake Forest-affiliated Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation (CINCIA), Vega collaborates with Wake Forest’s Sabin Center. Together they use advanced science to address mercury pollution from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

Although ASGM might seem minor or traditional, it is a destructive form of open-pit mining that uses large amounts of mercury to extract gold from river sand and gravel. Much of this mercury is released into the environment without control. ASGM is currently the largest source of global mercury pollution, expanding further as gold prices rise above $3,000 per ounce. Despite its consequences, ASGM accounts for 20-25% of global annual gold supply and significantly contributes to deforestation and contamination in the Amazon.

“Mercury pollution is one of the most widespread yet invisible threats to rainforest ecosystems and human health,” said Claudia Vega. “In the Amazon, we see firsthand how it gets absorbed into food webs, threatening the food security and health of riverine populations, and furthers the degradation of one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on Earth. Science must do more than just document these impacts—it must drive solutions.”

In 2017, Vega founded the first mercury research laboratory in Puerto Maldonado through a partnership with Peru’s Amazon Research Institute (IIAP) under the Ministry of Environment. She later collaborated again with IIAP to establish another lab in Iquitos, extending research efforts to northern Amazon areas. These labs now serve as bases for CINCIA’s field teams where Vega leads studies near Colombia's and Brazil's borders as well as heavily impacted gold-mining zones like Madre de Dios.

“Claudia is a star and her selection as a TED Fellow puts an exclamation point on that," said Miles Silman from Wake Forest University’s Sabin Center for Environment & Sustainability."Her work on mercury pollution...advances knowledge but also drives meaningful change."

Vega works closely with local communities alongside government agencies pushing stronger management strategies regarding this pollutant while collaborating internationally too aiming towards better regulations overall worldwide: “Claudia’s work has changed way we understand…not just environmental issue but public health/human rights crisis," stated Luis E Fernandez—CINCIA Executive Director/Research Professor Biology @Wake Forest University."This TED Fellowship will amplify voice crucial time world recognize full impact…"

Additionally being part United Nations Open-ended Scientific Group evaluating effectiveness UN Minamata Convention On Mercury helps deepen understanding further bridging gap between scientific discoveries actionable policy solutions globally while contributing principal author recently published report monitoring around sites major step forward helping countries track meet commitments conventionally so forth moving forward continuously addressing challenges faced today tomorrow thereafter ultimately achieving goals set forth originally intended purposes beyond expectations initially anticipated otherwise hoped desired initially outset embarked upon journey begun undertaken presently engaged currently participating actively involved continuously ongoing throughout duration course existence present future past always never-ending quest search truth justice fairness equality prosperity sustainability longevity success fulfillment accomplishment satisfaction happiness joy peace harmony 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