Louise Allen is a Ph.D. candidate at the Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology at Boston University.  She received a BS in Zoology with concentrations in Zoo and Aquarium Science and Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from Michigan State University and a MA in Biology from Boston University.  She worked as a senior bird keeper at the Detroit Zoological Institute after attaining her BS, and is deeply committed to expanding the role of zoos in conservation, research and action.  Her research focuses on conservation physiology; the study of physiological responses of organisms to human alteration of the environment that may contribute to population declines, in vertebrate taxa, specifically mammals and birds.  She is currently examining the effect of anthropogenic disturbance on bats roosting in human-made structures, such as bridges.  Comparing individuals living in both natural and anthropogenic sites, her dissertation research assesses stress endocrinology, reproductive biology and immunology to tell a more complete story of how roost choice influences health in the Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida braziliensis).  She has also worked on a variety of projects; including examining population dynamics and behavior in cave dwelling bats in both Texas and at Carlsbad Caverns National Park and investigating migratory behavior in bats and birds and the influence of large scale wind farms on animal migration.  Her research has been supported by The National Science Foundation, The National Institute of Health, and The American Association of Mammalogists.