The College of Natural and Social Sciences at Cal State LA is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kirsten Fisher as Associate Dean. Dr. Fisher is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and has recently served as department chair.
An evolutionary ecologist, Dr. Fisher’s research examines how plants persist in extreme environments. Her lab investigates population genetics and reproductive ecology, with a focus on the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis. This resilient species is highly tolerant of stress and desiccation and is known for having one of the most skewed sex ratios found in plants. Her research explores how adaptation to extreme conditions shapes trade-offs in energy allocation for growth, reproduction, and physiological tolerance, and how those trade-offs influence genetic diversity.
Dr. Fisher earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and completed her PhD at UC Berkeley, where she studied the systematics of the tropical moss family Calymperaceaeunder the mentorship of Brent Mishler. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, North Carolina, before joining Cal State LA in 2008.
In her new role as Associate Dean, Dr. Fisher brings a strong record of faculty leadership, student mentorship, and research excellence that will support college priorities in academic quality, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student success.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Fisher to the NSS leadership team.