Dr. Sterling's primary research is focused on endangered species, in particular behavioral ecology of mammals, turtles, and tortoises, and on tools for elucidating spatially explicit information on species and assemblages of species. She previously developed/co-developed a suite of techniques for sampling abundance and distribution as well as tracking of mobile species, with a specialty in elusive, nocturnal species. Dr. Sterling is currently co-leading population demography, genetic, epidemiological and behavioral ecology research on the sea turtles of Palmyra Atoll and the broader Pacific. She is co-developing a project on Giant Galapagos Tortoise behavioral ecology, with a focus on population demography, spatial dynamics and habitat use. For the first 8 years Dr. Sterling was at the AMNH, she worked to coordinate multi-taxa surveys of Madagascar, Bolivia and Vietnam and is analyzing the results from the surveys in Vietnam to test a suite of biogeographic hypotheses about mainland Southeast Asian fauna. She is also exploring interest in ethnozoological and linguistic research and language and traditional ecological knowledge vitality. In 2000, Dr. Sterling spearheaded the establishment of the CBC's Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners, which works to create and implement educational materials and teaching resources for biodiversity conservation at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels around the world.