Leah Zacher
How to Make a Zombie Crab
About the Speaker
Leah Zacher enjoys studying the strange and obscure, from the hairy legs of tiny larvae to the ominous zombie crab. Recently she completed her Ph.D. in Marine Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, studying Alaskan king crab. Her most recent work documents how temperature changes in the Bering Sea effects crab distribution and explores the biology of a parasitic barnacle that castrates and ultimately controls the king crab. Prior to coming to Alaska, Leah attended California State University and Humboldt State University. While at Humboldt State University she tracked the movement patterns of western pond turtles for her Master’s Degree. Leah is a generalist by nature, thus her research interests vary from aquatic to terrestrial systems, seeking answers to questions that revolve around questions in ecology, conservation biology and ecosystem sustainability. She enjoys spending as much time as possible outside exploring the marvels of nature and is passionate about teaching others about these wonders.