Biography
Dr. Benjamin Gerstner
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow
Division of Innovation and Technology Ecosystems
Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnership
Class of 2024-2026
Dr. Benjamin Gerstner is an evolutionary ecologist whose interests reside at the intersection of evolution, information transfer and innovative learning practices. They began their academic journey as a first-generation student at the University of Rochester, where they earned a bachelor's in ecology and evolutionary biology and explored the social behavior evolution in leafcutter ants and developed a passion for understanding collective behavior. As a U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at the University of New Mexico, where they earned their doctorate in biology, Gerstner expanded their research to polyploid plant evolution, merging their love of botany with their interest in how information is transferred across space and time.
Gerstner is motivated by policies that embrace the transformative potential of STEM education to dismantle barriers and create pathways for students in under-resourced schools to overcome socioeconomic challenges. He is passionate about using visual tools to simplify complex ideas and building interdisciplinary communities to drive meaningful change. Currently, he is venturing into the field of place-based research investment embracing the challenges of entering a new domain and excited about the synergies that will undoubtedly unfold.