Professional Affiliation

Professor, Stony Brook University

Expert Bio

Dr. Heather J. Lynch is the Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences Endowed Chair for Ecology & Evolution at Stony Brook University. Dr. Lynch’s research is dedicated to understanding the biogeography and population dynamics of Antarctic wildlife, particularly Antarctic penguins, using a suite of research platforms including U.S. research vessels, commercial cruise ships, and smaller yachts. Dr. Lynch has also developed tools for using satellite imagery to survey wildlife and has led several research efforts to unite high-resolution commercial imagery, computer vision, and high-performance computing for imagery-enabled science in the polar regions. Dr. Lynch received an NSF CAREER Award for her work on the spatial dynamics of Antarctic penguins and was elected an early career fellow of the Ecological Society of America. Dr. Lynch is a National Geographic Explorer, has been awarded the Blavatnik National Medal for Young Scientists, selected as a AAAS Leshner Leadership Fellow, and recognized as a Pew Marine Conservation Fellow. Dr. Lynch is a member of the consensus committee for the Future Directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic Nearshore and Coastal Research study convened in late 2022 by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Dr. Lynch has an A.B. in Physics from Princeton University, an M.A. in Physics from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University.