Discovering the Galápagos

Sarah Knutie is an ecologist who studies disease conservation in the iconic Darwin’s finches of the Galapagos Islands. Knutie is an associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut, where she has received several teaching awards. She has also received the inaugural Lochmiller Award from the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, which is in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of disease ecology.

Since 2010, Knutie has worked in the Galapagos Islands where she studies the effects of the invasive avian vampire fly on endemic birds such as Darwin's finches. Knutie is also committed to science communication and working with the public. In 2018, she established the Nest Parasite Community Science Program to work with people who manage artificial nesting boxes to help native birds across the United States.