Karen Oberhauser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Suzanne Oberhauser
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Karen Oberhauser in 2015
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| Born | 1956 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard College, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Minnesota |
| Known for | Monarch butterfly research |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Conservation biology |
| Institutions | University of Minnesota |
Karen Suzanne Oberhauser (born in 1956) is an American scientist. She is a conservation biologist who specializes in monarch butterflies. This means she studies how to protect these amazing insects and their homes.
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Her Journey to Science
Karen Oberhauser went to several universities to become a scientist. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Harvard College. Then, she got a Bachelor of Science degree in natural science education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Finally, she earned her PhD in ecology and behavioral biology from the University of Minnesota.
She used to be a director at the Monarch Lab at the University of Minnesota. She is also a professor there. In 2017, she became the director of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum in Madison, Wisconsin.
Studying Monarch Butterflies
Dr. Oberhauser has been studying monarch butterflies since 1984. Her research looks at many parts of the monarch butterfly's life. She studies how they reproduce and what parasites affect them. She also looks at what influences where young monarchs live and how many there are.
Her work also explores how things like insecticides, global climate change, and genetically-modified crops affect monarchs.
She has written many articles for science journals. She also helped edit two books about monarch butterflies:
- The Monarch Butterfly: Biology and Conservation ISBN: 978-0-8014-4188-2
- Monarchs in a Changing World: Biology and Conservation of an Iconic Butterfly ISBN: 978-0-8014-5315-1
In 2014, Dr. Oberhauser and another scientist published an article. They looked at how the use of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide on farms might affect monarchs. They suggested that Roundup could reduce milkweed plants. Milkweed is a very important food source for monarch caterpillars. Their study found fewer milkweed plants where more Roundup was used. This led them to think that less milkweed might be causing monarch numbers to drop. However, other scientists have studied this idea and found different results. So, scientists are still working to understand how much Roundup and milkweed loss affect monarch butterflies.
Getting Everyone Involved
Dr. Oberhauser strongly believes in citizen science. This is when everyday people help scientists collect data. She also thinks it's important for everyone to understand science and the environment. She is on the board for a science journal called Citizen Science: Theory and Practice.
In 2013, the White House honored her as a "Champion of Change for Citizen Science." The president of the University of Minnesota, Eric Kaler, praised her work. He said her work with citizen scientists, teachers, and students shows how important it is for the university to connect with the public.
Dr. Oberhauser has led several programs to help monarchs. She was director of the Monarchs in the Classroom Program. She also led the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. She was also president of the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation.
About Her Life
Karen Oberhauser grew up in Wisconsin. She married Don Alstad in 1985. They had two daughters together. Don passed away in 2014.
