Dr. Lauren D. Pharr is an avian behavioral ecologist who’s interests focus on the evolution and behavior of cooperative breeding birds. Receiving her Ph.D. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from North Carolina State University, her current research focuses on studying the effects of environmental change on nestling success in the federally threatened Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Aside from her research, Lauren is an engaged and award-winning science communicator with written and contributed pieces haven appeared in a variety of outlets including National Geographic, WIRED, and BBC Wildlife, and has served as a contributing editor for North Carolina Sea Grant as well as a member on the Editorial Advisory Board for The Wildlife Society.
Lauren is an advocate for Black and historically excluded minorities in STEM; she co-founded a nonprofit: Field Inclusive, which seeks to amplify and support marginalized and historically excluded individuals in the outdoors. Both her research and advocacy work led to her being awarded many accolades, including the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s 2023 Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award for Young Conservationist of the Year, one of the highest honors in the state of NC in the wildlife space. She currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.
