We were not a particularly outdoorsy family; I guess its all relative. I grew up in a suburb of Detroit.  I was one of those kids whose parents threw them in the back of a Suburban and we crisscrossed the country to as many National Parks sites as we could in 2-3 weeks’ time, every summer, year after year; I loved it.  It is what led me to pursue a career in science. I earned a B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University and went on to become a zookeeper at the Detroit Zoo. Some of my favorite moments were times when I assisted scientists with wildlife research on-site. After returning to academia, I received an MA and PhD in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from Boston University before completing postdoctoral work at Wake Forest University. As the Interim Director of Science Initiatives at Winston-Salem State University I coordinate and plan new learning and development opportunities for students and faculty in the STEM disciplines. I am interested in STEM learning both inside and outside the classroom.  My work includes collaborations with CDI, the Center for Innovative and Transformative Instruction (CITI) at WSSU, TERC in Cambridge, MA, and The National Parks Service.  My scientific research encompasses many aspects of ecological physiology in vertebrates, including birds and bats. My primary interest is the study of organisms and their physiological response to changing environmental conditions natural or anthropogenic. In a current line of work, I examine the physiological responses of organisms to human-altered environments and identify the physiological consequences of environmental change.

Louise C. Allen, Ph.D.