Karen Kovaka
University of Pennsylvania
Academic Year 2017-2018
Understanding Innovation and Imitation in Evolution

Karen completed her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. Her research takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of complex living systems, from single organisms to social networks, symbiotic relationships, and entire ecosystems. Karen studies the theories scientists have developed to represent these systems, explores the problems they leave unsolved, and analyzes how theories of complexity are applied (or misapplied) outside of scientific research. Her work has been published in Philosophy of Science and the British Journal for Philosophy of Science.

Karen’s CV, papers, and a description of her ongoing research are available on her personal website (www.karenkovaka.com). To read about her work on a community science initiative in the Galápagos Islands, visit http://web.sas.upenn.edu/galapagos/sealions/.