Karen Oberhauser Director, University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum; Past-President, Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation.
Karen Oberhauser is the Director of the UW-Madison Arboretum. Before coming to Madison, she and her students at the University of Minnesota conducted research on several aspects of monarch butterfly ecology. Her research depends on traditional lab and field techniques, as well as the contributions of a variety of audiences through citizen science. Her strong interest in promoting a citizenry with a high degree of scientific and environmental literacy led to the development of a science education program that involves courses for teachers, and opportunities for youth to engage in research and share their findings with broad audiences. In 1996, she and graduate student Michelle Prysby started a nationwide Citizen Science project called the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, which continues to engage hundreds of volunteers throughout North America. Karen has authored over 90 papers on her research on monarchs, insect conservation, and citizen science.