Kathleen E. Fischer

Kathleen E. Fischer is a Research Adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), affiliated with the Department of Biology. Her work bridges conservation biology, evolutionary ecology, and aging research. She holds a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz, a Graduate Certificate in Science Writing from the same institution, an M.A. in Anthropology from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Biology and Anthropology from Harvard University.

• Education: B.S. UC Santa Cruz (Biology/Environmental Studies), Graduate Certificate (Science Writing); M.A./Ph.D. Harvard (Anthropology/Biology)

Her research focuses on the Biology of Aging, Sex Differences, and Conservation, with fieldwork in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Myanmar. She co-established the Mekil wildlife management area in PNG and contributed to marine conservation efforts in Lampi Island, Myanmar. Fischer has collaborated with indigenous communities like the Moken people and the Yurok Tribe, emphasizing traditional resource use and biodiversity protection. Since 2014, she has integrated her conservation expertise into aging research at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Research.

Her professional contributions include endowing conservation fellowships at the Wildlife Conservation Society and Missouri Botanical Garden, and securing funding for the National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center. Though no specific awards or recent publications are listed, her work reflects interdisciplinary engagement with ecological, evolutionary, and human health challenges.