Biography

Sarah Kienle is an Assistant Professor of Wildlife Biology and leads the Comparative Ecophysiology of Animals Lab (CEAL Lab). Dr. Kienle is a comparative biologist, whose research interests include ecology, physiology, behavior, and conservation. Her research is broadly focused on the biology of apex predators, including seals, coyotes, wolves, and whales. Dr. Kienle earned her Master’s at San Diego State, her PhD at the University of California Santa Cruz, and completed a postdoctoral position at the University of California Santa Cruz. Beyond her research, she is a mother of two hilarious, energetic boys, a voracious reader, an avid traveler, and a slow runner.

Research

The driving question motivating research in the CEAL Lab is: How do animals work in the context of their environment? The goal of our lab’s research is to understand and predict how different species are—and will—respond to environmental changes. We work with a variety of large wildlife, including seals, sea lions, whales, dolphins, sea otters, polar bears, wolves, coyotes, and black bears. Because we work with wild animals that (often) live in far-flung places and difficult to access/study, we use a variety of comparative methodologies and quantitative analytical techniques (e.g., 3D morphometrics, stable isotope analysis, hormone analysis, camera trapping, biologging instruments, photogrammetry, etc.). We also collaborate with people around the world to combine ideas, local knowledge, different skillsets, and datasets. Much of our research centers on examining physiological and ecological factors that shape mammal life history strategies, assessing species’ adaptive capacity to changing environments, and evaluating the role of plasticity and intraspecific variation in response to environmental stressors. We share our research—and the process—broadly with the general public whenever possible to inspire a love and care for wild animals and wild places around the world.