Michelle LaRue

Dr. Michelle LaRue is a research ecologist and lecturer of Polar Marine Ecology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. She is also a passionate public speaker, focusing on ecological and conservation issues from North America to Antarctica.

LaRue's research employs high-resolution satellite imagery to study the biogeography and population dynamics of Antarctic wildlife, including Emperor and Adélie penguins, Weddell seals, and crabeater seals. Her work has been crucial in providing the first-ever population estimates for some penguin species and has informed conservation policies such as the United States’ proposal for the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area. Additionally, LaRue serves as the executive director of The Cougar Network, dedicating her work to researching cougar habitat and recolonization in North America.

Beyond her fieldwork, LaRue is committed to science communication, presenting her findings at various venues including the Gordon Research Conference, IdeaCity, and the World Science Conference in Brisbane. Her research has been extensively covered by major media outlets like NBC Nightly News, BBC, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and National Geographic. She has published more than two dozen papers and has spent over 260 days conducting research on the ice across multiple field campaigns. LaRue's contributions to science and communication have earned her several accolades, including the American Media & Publishing’s Gold EXCEL award and the University of Canterbury’s Emerging Researcher Award.