Sharon Pochron has an uncanny affection for the magic of statistics and its ability to elucidate the behavior of living things. She currently teaches in the Sustainability Studies Program at Stony Brook University, covering topics in conservation genetics, demography, epidemiology and ecology. In her earthworm lab, she and her student investigate the role of acid rain, soil pH and soil calcium on earthworm biomass, the role of environmental toxins (like Roundup) on earthworm mortality and fertility, and earthworm life histories.
She received her Bachelors from Franklin and Marshall College in both anthropology and biology. She received her Doctorate from University of New Mexico in anthropology and biology, after following baboons around the savannah for two years, collecting data on their foraging behavior.
As a post-doc for Patricia Wright, Pochron published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers about lemurs, tarsiers and baboons. She also worked as a biostatistician for Dr. Jeff Levinton, helping him publish papers about heavy metal concentrations in local sea life. In her increasingly rare spare time, Dr. Pochron writes about science and animals for Highlights, Science New for Kids, and Muse Magazine.