Dr. Olivia Sanderfoot is an ornithologist and global change ecologist in the Center for Engagement in Science and Nature at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. In her research, Dr. Sanderfoot links data and tools from quantitative ecology and atmospheric science to investigate how air pollution impacts the health and behavior of birds. Her current projects leverage participatory science to examine how wildfire smoke shapes species distributions and discover what constitutes smoke refugia for birds. She is especially interested in identifying conservation actions to safeguard birds during periods of hazardous air quality. Dr. Sanderfoot recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. She is also the founder and director of Project Phoenix, a community science initiative to monitor bird responses to wildfire smoke in the western United States.

Dr. Sanderfoot is passionate about connecting people to birds to further ornithological research and inspire bird-friendly actions. She believes birding is a superpower, and all participatory scientists are superheroes! At the lab, Dr. Sanderfoot leads Project FeederWatch, an international participatory science program monitoring winter birds in North America. Each year, FeederWatch engages more than 30,000 people in the U.S. and Canada in counting birds in their neighborhoods during the winter months (November–April). The data they collect is used to track winter bird populations, follow winter range expansions or contractions, record irruptions, monitor the spread of non-native species, and keep tabs on disease outbreaks. Project FeederWatch also serves as a public resource for information on birds and the practice of bird feeding.

Olivia was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and is proud of her Midwest roots. Olivia is driven by her passion for conservation, her love for birds, and her strong belief in the Wisconsin Idea – the philosophy that a university’s research should be applied to solve problems and improve the health, well-being, and environment of the community it serves.

To learn more about my academic and professional experience, click here to view my CV. If you are interested in contacting me about my research or public engagement opportunities, please feel free to email me at osanderfoot[at]cornell.edu. I look forward to hearing from you!