Research/Areas of Interest
Insect behavior, ecology and evolution; firefly conservation
Education
- PhD, Zoology, Duke University, Durham, United States, 1984
- AB, Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States, 1976
Biography
Following many decades investigating insect behavior and sexual selection, our work now focuses on insect conservation. The firefly beetles rank among our most charismatic insects, yet the conservation status of these 2200+ species remains poorly understood. Prof. Lewis is a founding member of the Fireflyers International Network, and serves as co-chair of the Firefly Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Our mission is to identify and work to conserve threatened firefly species around the world. Specific goals are to: (1) assess Red List status for 2000+ species (2) prioritize key threats and conservation issues facing fireflies in different geographic regions (3) identify knowledge gaps for future biodiversity research, and (4) advocate for threatened species at regional and global levels.