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(Photo © 2010 by
Chad Anderson)
I am a biologist, photographer, and filmmaker living in Los Angeles, CA. I'm working
on my Ph.D. in UCLA's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, where I study
the evolution of territorial behavior in invasive lizards. When I'm not doing science,
I take photographs of nature (especially birds and other wildlife) and document
the work of scientists who study nature. I think that photography, film, and other
visual media can be powerful tools for communicating science to non-scientists.
I've been fascinated by nature for as long as I can remember. I grew up in suburban
northern Virginia, and I spent much of my youth exploring the parks near my house,
looking for birds and other animals. In high school I began to photograph the plants
and animals around me, and through my photography, I learned more about my subjects'
life history and behavior. The more I learned, however, the more I realized how
much I didn't know about the lives of the animals in my backyard.
As a freshman at the University of Virginia, I took my first courses in evolution
and ecology, and I quickly realized that these were the disciplines that excited
me the most. The next summer, I studied the square-stemmed monkeyflower (Mimulus
ringens) and a Mimulus-specific aphid herbivore with Dr. Dave Carr at the Blandy Experimental Farm (Boyce, VA). The following year,
I studied Red-naped Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab with Dr. Chris Floyd. After graduating in 2004 with my B.S. in
Biology, I found research opportunities in Nevada, Colorado, Venezuela, and California.
Finally, in 2005-2006, I worked with Dr. Gail Patricelli at UC Davis on a project examining acoustic
communication in the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a
spectacular game bird of the American west.
Now I live in Los Angeles with my wife Liz and our Boston Terrier Hugo. I'm working
on my Ph.D. in the Department of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. I conduct my research in Dr. Greg Grether's lab, where I am studying two Caribbean
lizards (Anolis sagrei and A. cristatellus) that have become invasive
in South Florida. I use these lizards as a model system to study the evolution of
interspecific territoriality and its effects on species coexistence. Lizards in
the genus Anolis are well understood in many respects, but I am exploring
an aspect of their behavior and ecology that has not been well studied in the past.
Until recently, I was sure that I would pursue a career in the academic realm, and
photography would remain a part-time endeavor. In the last few years, however, my
ambitions have grown broader. As both a scientist and a photographer, I hope to
become a liaison between science and the non-scientist public. I love science, and
I really love teaching people about science. My goal is to use visual media to bring
more science into the mainstream.
Publications: The images on this website, and many more, are available
for editorial and commercial licensing. Please e-mail me
with all inquiries. My photographs have appeared in numerous print and web media,
including Birder's World, Birdwatching, Living Bird,
New Scientist, High Country News, Trends in Ecology and Evolution,
and Science et Vie Junior. My first photo-illustrated feature article,
"King of the Western Sage," a piece about Greater
Sage-Grouse in Wyoming, appeared in the Summer 2007 issue of Living Bird.
Another photo-illustrated essay,
"There Goes the Neighborhood: Understanding territoriality in bird communities,"
appeared in Living Bird's Spring 2011 issue. My images have also appeared
in several books, including Trevor Price's Speciation in Birds (Roberts
and Company, 2007), David Dalton's The Natural World of Lewis and Clark
(University of Missouri Press, 2007), and Geoff Hill's Bird Coloration
(National Geographic Press, 2010).
Professional Affiliations: I am a member of the North American Nature Photographers Association (NANPA), and
an Associate Member of the
International League of Conservation Writers (ILCW).
Prints: If you would like to buy a print of one of my images, please e-mail me with any questions.
2006: Birder's World "Photo of the Week," then "Bimonthly Winner," then "Grand Prize"
2006:
Microsoft Merit Award, Microsoft Future Pro Photographer Competition
2008:
Featured Photographer, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
2009:
Grand Prize, Microsoft Future Pro Photographer Competition
Neil's CV
Photographic equipment
Photographic ethics
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