Sam is a Ph.D. student studying ecology at the University of Florida. For their dissertation research, Sam is investigating how diet and social factors affect the behavior and development of leaf-footed bugs. They previously completed bachelors degrees in biology and psychology at the University of California Berkeley as well as a masters degree in biological sciences at Purdue University. Sam enjoys writing for a general audience on a range of scientific topics, including animal cognition, evolution, conservation biology, and environmental justice. They are a proud member of the Trans Journalists Association and the International Society of Nonbinary Scientists. You can read more of Sam's writing at samzlotnik.com.