Sam Zlotnik

Bio

I am currently a graduate student at the University of Florida where I am working on a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary ecology with a concentration in statistics. My dissertation research focuses on feeding behavior and mouthpart development in leaf-footed bugs. I have also studied the behavior, ecology, and physiology of frogs and lizards, and I previously completed a B.S. and M.S. in biology and a B.A. in psychology. 

As a science writer, I love to cover stories about animal behavior, biodiversity conservation, and environmental news. I got my start writing articles for Massive Science, and then sought out other opportunities to hone my skills, such as the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology’s student journalism internship and the ComSciCon-SciWri 2021 workshop. I have also written for the cognitive science blog Cogbites as well as for Transpositions, a blog run by the International Society of Nonbinary Scientists.

I am very grateful and excited for the opportunity to join the Smithsonian Magazine this summer!

@SamZlotnik

Clips

• When Cats Chew Catnip, It Works as a Bug Spray

• Dengue Fever and Zika Virus Make Humans More Attractive to Mosquitoes

• This Seabird Species Dives Deeper When the Water is Clearer

• The DNA of Hundreds of Insect Species Is in Your Tea

• First Images of Mysterious ‘Milky Seas’ Captured

• Lunar Pits Maintain Surprisingly Comfy Temperatures

• The Done-Up Bird Gets the Worm

• Cougars Are Killing Feral Donkeys, and That’s Good for Wetlands

• Baby Sloths Are About as Cute As You Would Expect

• How Animals Survive in a Savanna Full of Predators

• These Five Innovative Rovers Will Soon Explore the Moon