Kika Tuff, Ph.D.
founder, scientist, and storyteller at impact media lab
Kika is a leader in science media and communication. As the founder of Impact Media Lab, she has worked with hundreds of scientists from around the world to help share their research with a diverse and growing global audience. Kika experiments with media as a tool to demystify the process of science and help audiences connect with the many personalities and backgrounds of scientists.
Kika is a Broader Impacts collaborator on a variety of government grants and has spearheaded collaborations with academic institutions, NGOs, and media networks to expand Impact Media Lab’s efforts. Outside of work, Kika practices her craft leading quests in a long-standing game of Dungeons & Dragons. Storytelling-as-play remains a driving philosophy of her life and work. Kika received her PhD in Ecology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
education
Ph.D. in Ecology. University of Colorado, Boulder (2016)
Advisor: Dr. Kendi Davies
Dissertation title: On taking a thermal approach to fragmentation research
Focus on reptile physiology, thermal ecology, habitat fragmentation, and conservation.
B.A. in Biology. Washington University in St. Louis (2003)
Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Losos
Major: Environmental Studies - Biological track
Minor: African & African-American studies
select Publications & Presentations
Creating Study-Specific Tools to Increase Community and Student Engagement.
Dunbar-Wallis, A., Jaeger, D., Suding, K., Littman, P., Baumgartner, L., Prater, M., Schuenemeyer, A., Tuff, K., Hogstad, A. B., Alam, I., & Corwin, L. (2021). Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, vol. 6, no. 1. GALE | A688529500
Climate Change Conversations: Engaging Communities in Dialogue about Impacts, Risks, and Responses
E.T. Cloyd, J.S. Dukes, J. Hellmann, K. Tuff. (2020). ESA Annual Meeting (August 3-6, 2020).
The future of ecology is collaborative, inclusive and deconstructs biases.
Ramirez, Kelly & Berhe, Asmeret & Burt, Jenn & Gil-Romera, Graciela & Johnson, Rebecca & Koltz, Amanda & Lacher, Iara & McGlynn, Terry & Nielsen, Karina & Schmidt, Ruth & Simonis, Juniper & Terhorst, Casey & Tuff, Kika. (2017). Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2. 10.1038/s41559-017-0445-7.
Branding Is Not a Dirty Word: Marketing Yourself and Your Science in a Digital World.
K. Tuff. (2017). ESA Annual Meeting (August 6-11, 2017).
Professional Organizations
Ecological Society of America
North American Nature Photographers Association - Current board member
500 Women Scientists
Jackson Wild Collective
Her Wild Vision initiative