Katherine Ralls

Katherine S. Ralls is an American zoologist and conservationist who is Senior Research Zoologist Emerita at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park.[1] Ralls' research interests are in the behavioral ecology, genetics, and conservation of mammals, both terrestrial and marine. Since 1980, she has focused on conservation biology, especially the genetic problems of small captive and wild populations.

Katherine Ralls
Born1939
Alameda, California
NationalityAmerican
CitizenshipUSA
Alma materStanford University, Radcliffe University, Harvard University
Scientific career
InstitutionsSmithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, University of California Santa Cruz

Two mammals that she has studied extensively are the sea otter and the San Joaquin kit fox.[2] Some of her research is on the genetic management of wild and captive animal populations.[3]

She obtained a BA in Biology from Stanford in 1960, an MS in Biology from Radcliffe College in 1962 and a PhD in Biology from Harvard in 1965.[4][5] In 2005 she was granted an honorary fellowship in the Zoological Society of London.[6]

Ralls worked on the founding of the Society for Conservation Biology in the mid-1980s.[7] In 1986, she and research associate Jonathan Ballou, (now research scientist emeritus at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute),[8] developed an international workshop on genetic management for zoo animals.[3] In 2017, Ralls, Ballou, and Richard Frankham published the first book on the genetic management of fragmented species populations, "Genetic Management of Fragmented Animal and Plant Populations."[9]

In addition to her Smithsonian appointment, Ralls is a research associate at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz.[10]

Honors
  • Fellow, California Academy of Sciences, 2007[11]
  • Co-awarded George Miksch Sutton Award in Conservation Research, Southwestern Association of Naturalists, 2007[12]
  • Honorary Fellow, Zoological Society of London, 2006[13]
  • Resolution of Appreciation, Stanislaus Foundation Endangered Species Recovery Program, 1998[14]
  • C. Hart Merriam Award, American Society of Mammalogists, 1996[15]
  • Edward T. LaRoe Award, Society for Conservation Biology, 1996[16]
  • Fellow, Animal Behavior Society, 1992[17]
  • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1989[18]

References
  1. "National Zoo News". 2017-09-14. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  2. Mihelich, Peggy. "Katherine Ralls, a pioneer in wildlife preservation". AAAS. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  3. "Katherine Ralls, a pioneer in wildlife preservation". AAAS. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  4. "Katherine Ralls" (PDF). Coastal Research Center. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  5. Katherine Ralls | Historical Perspectives Interview Excerpt | Aquatic Mammals Journal on YouTube
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2013-01-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Ralls, Katherine. "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  8. "Conservation Genetics Pioneer Jonathan D. Ballou Receives Devra Kleiman Scientific Advancement Award". National Zoo Website. 2016-09-10. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  9. "Smithsonian Scientists Publish First Book on the Genetic Management of Fragmented Species Populations". National Zoo Website. 2017-09-14. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  10. "Katherine Ralls CV" (PDF). Coast Research Center Website. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  11. "California Academy of Sciences, List of Fellows" (PDF). California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  12. "CSU Stanislaus scientists honored for Kit Fox scent dog research work". Stanislaus University. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  13. "The Zoological Society of London Honorary Fellows" (PDF). The Zoological Society of London. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 1, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  14. "Katherine Ralls CV" (PDF). Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  15. "MERRIAM AWARD RECIPIENTS". American Society of Mammaologists. Archived from the original on 2011-12-25. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  16. "Katherine Ralls CV" (PDF). Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  17. "Fellows of the ABS". Animal Behavior Society. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  18. "Katherine Ralls CV" (PDF). Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
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