Based on this prompt: "Please write a biography of Leslie Ries, professor at Georgetown University, but make it sound like she is really interesting and fun and is kind of kooky and crazy"

Dr. Leslie Ries: Butterfly Wrangler, Data Whisperer, and Eco-Adventurer Extraordinaire

If you ask Dr. Leslie Ries what she does for a living, she might grin mischievously and say, “I chase butterflies and wrangle spreadsheets — sometimes at the same time.” An Associate Professor of Biology at Georgetown University, Leslie is a rare blend of serious scientist, ecological detective, and data-loving adventurer who’s made a career out of blending the wonders of the natural world with the power of big data. She's also the kind of professor who will bring monarch migration maps to class one day and probably a butterfly net the next — just in case.

Leslie’s research focuses on how climate change and land use are reshaping biodiversity across North America, especially among butterflies. She has a deep love for these delicate creatures — not just because they’re beautiful, but because they’re ecological sentinels, fluttering indicators of what’s happening to the planet. Her work has been crucial in uncovering the startling truth that climate change is now the biggest threat to monarch butterflies. Her studies — powered by massive datasets and thousands of citizen scientists — reveal how even tiny shifts in temperature or rainfall can send ripples through ecosystems.

But here’s the thing: Leslie isn’t your typical lab coat-wearing, chalk-dust-covered academic. She’s more likely to be found excitedly explaining butterfly life cycles in the middle of a nature trail, passionately talking about ecological resilience, or plotting how to make science more accessible through citizen science and undergraduate research projects that don’t just teach data analysis — they turn students into eco-detectives.

She’s received multiple grants from the National Science Foundation, including ones to study how hurricanes like Harvey affect butterfly migration (yes, storms and butterflies do collide in fascinating ways), and how spring’s arrival is getting weirder thanks to climate shifts. In true Leslie fashion, she doesn’t shy away from the complexity — she dives in with color-coded spreadsheets, enthusiasm, and an occasional owl-themed coffee mug in hand.

Leslie is also a big advocate for using “big messy data” (her words) and building tools to help other scientists, students, and anyone with a curious mind dive into ecology at a grand scale. She’s a bit of a stats geek, a bit of a naturalist, and a whole lot of fun to be around — someone who can make a discussion about Bayesian modeling feel like a nature documentary hosted by a stand-up comedian.

When she’s not buried in butterfly data or convincing students that lepidoptera are the most underrated heroes of the natural world, Leslie can be found hiking, laughing loudly, and occasionally singing to plants (for science, of course).

So, if you’re looking for a scientist who’s as brilliant as she is unpredictable, as rigorous as she is hilarious, and who thinks butterfly poop is a totally valid conversation starter — Dr. Leslie Ries is your person.