Silas Eider Fischer is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University. Silas works at the intersection of art and science, primarily in ecology and conservation physiology of terrestrial birds. Some of their research interests broadly include annual cycle ecology and conservation of songbirds, in particular migration, post-fledging ecology, and ecophysiology of under-studied species (dull, drab, and geographically distant birds often end up being under-studied relative to their brightly colored counterparts…check out our new paper here!). Silas integrates their science and art practices to explore gender and queerness and to engage the public in wildlife conservation. They are also a co-organizer of The Wildlife Society’s Out in the Field LGBTQ+ initiative — learn more here!
Silas is currently studying migration ecology and ecophysiology of Cerulean Warblers. Their dissertation investigated how dryland songbirds respond to climate change by integrating both field and lab methods in ecophysiology and demography. Specifically, they studied the consequences of drought for post-fledging survival, ecophysiology, and population dynamics in Gray Vireos.
