Department of Biology

About Misha Blizard

Misha Blizard has always enjoyed science—being inquisitive about the natural world and delving into books, experiments, and observations to answer those questions. She joined a research lab during her first year in college with the assistance of several incredible organizations and supportive professors.

What interests Blizard most is how organisms interact with one another, not only between species but also within species. These complex and entangled interactions surround and incorporate every single organism and can have momentous effects, shaping the evolution of new species and the extinction of others. As the world changes, it has become increasingly important to understand how organisms respond to one another—and to us, as we are also part of that web that connects all life.

After college, Blizard continued her studies at The University of Chicago, focusing on the behavioral ecology of a North American shorebird (Actitis macularius) to better understand sexual selection and the evolution of a rare avian mating system. Her passion transitioned to teaching while completing her graduate research. Blizard notes, "It is especially meaningful—and symbolic—to teach research techniques to undergraduates joining active labs."