Kristen Lear, PhD •  Bat Conservationist

Section Styles spotlight-header

 

I am a

bat conservationist

Kristen Lear, PhD

Presented by bat conservation international
MY PATH

How I became a birdwatcher, fashion designer, and bat conservationist.

MAJOR INFLUENCES

  • My Mom

    I first got interested in science when my mom and I would spend winters counting birds in our local community.

  • Girl Scouts

    My mom was my troop leader, and I’m now a lifetime member. I would go to summer camp every year and as I got older, I started doing outdoor adventures. I met amazing people and had such cool experiences.

  • Volunteering in a Lab

    I got my first research experience working with bats after sophomore year. This sealed my interest in getting into research.

  • My Grandma

    I would help my grandma garden and collect worms so I could examine them. I originally thought I wanted to study bugs! She sparked my curiosity in examining creatures.

I was fortunate to know that I was interested in animals and nature from a young age.

Throughout my life, I’ve always been drawn to the natural world and working with animals. Though my specific interests have shifted, I gained a variety of skills through the different volunteer experiences that I signed up for.

Major Milestones

Girl Scouts

I’m a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts. The program played a huge role in helping me develop leadership skills and learn how science could help serve my neighborhoods. I got to work on lots of science and nature projects.

Undergrad

In college, I majored in Zoology and fell in love with bats and conservation! I spent my summers doing field research and building bat houses.

Working at Bat Conservation International

After earning my Ph.D. I found a job where I could work with people, teach, organize, and help protect bats!

Things I learned

along the way:

  • Find a community.

    It’s very common to feel overwhelmed or like you don’t belong. When I found a community of support during my PhD, this helped me to get through the challenges.

  • Don't close doors.

    Even if you aren’t certain about an opportunity or field, be sure to keep an open mind and try out different things. It just might be the opportunity that ignites your passion.

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Edina Clagett • Illustrator: Mar Bertran Bellvehí

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