Scientists can be found throughout the National Park Service, in parks and in research divisions. Meet our scientists! See what inspires them, learn more about their tools of the trade, and find information for how to connect with them.
Find Scientists by Subject
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Natural Resource Stewardship & ScienceExplore science divisions of the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science directorate of the National Park Service.
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Natural Science SubjectsLearn more from the scientists in the field of study that interests you.
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Cultural Resources, Partnership, ScienceExplore science divisions of the Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science directorate of the National Park Service.
Get to Know Our Scientists
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Science Desk DigsDoes your desk sometimes feel like an archaeology site? See what you can find on our scientists' desks.
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Stay CuriousWhat makes scientists pursue a career in science? See what our scientists are curious about and where it led them.
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Celebrate Women's History MonthWomen in Science StoriesExplore the stories of these trailblazing women that continue to shape park service conservation.
Meet Some of Our Scientists
Showing results 1-10 of 258
- Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
The Curious Case of the Old Dog in the Sand
- Locations: Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
The discovery of a large fossil canid jawbone in Idaho gives clues to the region’s diverse, verdant past.
- Locations: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
- Offices: Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division
BirdNET uses artificial intelligence to analyze audio recordings and detect bird species by sound. We’re exploring its potential to help parks answer complex, pressing questions.
- Locations: Acadia National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park
We teamed up with park rangers and researchers to increase opportunities for sharing science. Humorous illustrations show what we learned in the process.
- Locations: Cape Lookout National Seashore, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Virgin Islands National Park
Sunscreens help prevent skin cancer, but some can harm the environment. Three recent behavioral science papers describe ways to boost visitors’ use of eco-friendly sun protection.
- Locations: Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park
When it comes to wildlife mischief, we have found the biggest troublemaker, and it is us.
- Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
How “Hot” Radioactive Fossils Tested One Park’s Safety Tech
- Locations: Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
Some fossil bones emit huge amounts of radon, a cancer-causing gas, so staying safe when storing or studying them is a real challenge. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument found ways to overcome the problem through upgraded safety technology, but its story is a cautionary one.
- Locations: Dinosaur National Monument, Minute Man National Historical Park
- Offices: Inventory and Monitoring Division
Pollinators are in danger, and national parks want to help. Two early-career scientists piloted research projects to find out how they could.
- Acadia National Park
A New Way to Gauge Risk of Toxic Blooms in a National Park
- Locations: Acadia National Park
Harmful algal blooms endanger drinking water sources and aquatic life but are notoriously hard to study and manage. We created a “scorecard” to assess the likelihood of toxic blooms. It can help water managers focus on the most effective actions.
- Denali National Park & Preserve
Fannie Quigley—Not Just Blueberries and Bluster
- Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve
While most who visit and live in Alaska know of Fannie as the legendary pioneer who arrived in the Kantishna Hills during the 1905-06 gold rush, there is another side to Fannie’s extraordinary life that is not as well known—notably, her contributions to science and the local community.
- Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Rocky Intertidal Research in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
- Locations: Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Along coastlines, where the land meets the sea, is an area known as the intertidal zone -- the region between the lowest low tide and the highest high tide. How do relationships between organisms affect where different species are found, and how important are local environmental conditions in controlling the distributions of species? Drs. Jane Lubchenco and Bruce Menge, two marine ecologists, set out to answer these questions.
Last updated: March 15, 2021