Maria Strangas

Maria Strangas, PhD, serves as the Assistant Director of Science Research Experiences and Senior Manager of Youth Initiatives at the American Museum of Natural History, overseeing flagship youth science programs since March 2018. In parallel with this role, Maria teaches as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University, focusing on an Environmental Science Senior Seminar. Also engaged with the NYC Science Research Mentoring Consortium, Maria has previously taught Ecology and Evolution at The City College of New York. Maria earned a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from The Graduate Center, City University of New York, with a dissertation examining environmental impacts on diversity patterns in gymnophthalminae lizards. Additional experience includes serving as a Graduate Research Fellow at the National Science Foundation and various teaching and research roles at City University of New York. Maria holds a Bachelor's degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Rochester.