Terrie Williams

Terrie M. Williams is a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a comparative eco-physiologist with 35 years of research experience concerning the energetics, biomechanics, and thermoregulation of terrestrial and aquatic mammals such as African lions, elephants, narwhals, dolphins, polar bears, sea otters, and Weddell seals. Research expeditions have taken her from the Arctic and Antarctica to Africa and California. She developed many of the wildlife instruments used in her studies including submersible ECG microprocessors for monitoring dive responses of marine mammals, and the S.M.A.R.T (Species Movement, Acceleration, and Research Tracking) collar for integrating energetics and behavior of terrestrial carnivores on diverse landscapes. By examining the functional relationships between animals and their environment, she strives to understand the ecological significance of a species and the physiological adaptations required for survival in a constantly changing world. She also wrote the book, The Odyssey of KP2, about her efforts to conserve endangered Hawaiian monk seals.