People Behind the Science Podcast - Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Hélène Morlon is a Research Scientist with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) at the Institute of Biology at the Ecole Nomale Supérieure in Paris. She is also affiliated to the Interdisciplinary Center for Research in Biology at the Collège de France. Hélène studies biodiversity and is interested in understanding questions like why there are more species in certain regions of the planet and why some groups of organisms are more diverse than others. She studies a variety of organisms to elucidate the general principles underlying evolution and biodiversity.When Hélène is not hard at work in the lab, she enjoys rock climbing, scuba diving, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and particularly kitesurfing. These challenging extreme sports keep her connected with nature and give her a sense of freedom. She received her M.S. in Ecology from the University of Paris and her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Bordeaux. Helene conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Merced, the University of Oregon, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California, Berkeley. She was hired by the CNRS afterwards and worked at the Center of Applied Mathematics at Ecole Polytechnique before accepting her current position. Hélène is the recipient of the 2012 CNRS Prize for Outstanding Research and the 2015 CNRS Bronze Medal. In our interview, Hélène shares more about her journey through life and science.