Derek Lee

Derek Lee is an Academic Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. His research focuses on quantitative wildlife biology, particularly demography and conservation of large mammals like Masai Giraffes, as well as marine predators and migratory species.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Biological Sciences (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), Dartmouth College
• M.S., Natural Resources Management (Wildlife), Humboldt State University
• B.A., Cultural Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara

His research interests include analyzing how habitat fragmentation, climate change, and human activities impact wildlife populations. Current projects involve large-scale giraffe population studies in Tanzania using AI-driven data analysis, examining factors like vegetation, predators, social networks, and genetics. He also investigates fire ecology in Spotted Owls and previously studied marine ecosystems at the South Farallon Islands.

Awards:

• Fulbright Scholar

Collaborations: Leads an international team studying giraffe behavior, genetics, and conservation strategies. Collaborates with organizations like the Wild Nature Institute. Former work on seabirds contributed to California’s marine conservation plans.