Dr. Stiassny’s research focuses on freshwater biodiversity documentation and systematic ichthyology in the Old World tropics, particularly that of Africa and Madagascar. Current research and fieldwork is located in the world’s second largest river basin, the Congo River, in particular the diverse systems of the lower Congo region in western central Africa. In collaboration with an international team of research scientists, government agencies, and international NGO’s her research seeks to develop a synthesis of systematics, biogeography, population biology, bioinformatics and remotely sensed hydrological data to elucidate the evolutionary dynamics underpinning the high diversity of fishes in the lower Congo River, and as an aid in conservation planning throughout the Congo basin. Dr. Stiassny serves as advisor to numerous international scientific and conservation organizations such at the World Resources Institute, the IUCN, USAID, DIVERSITAS, and the International Foundation for Science. She is a member of the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund, the Advisory Council of Conservation International’s Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, and the Advisory Board of National Geographic Society’s Conservation Trust.