[1] Gerber is a Professor of Conservation Science and Founding Director of the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes (CBO)[2] at Arizona State University.
[1] Gerber looks to inform policy and sustain biodiversity through her research in conservation ecology, and environmental leadership and communication.
[20] Gerber earned her bachelor's degree in Environmental Biology from Mills College and went on to obtain an MMA in marine policy and Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from University of Washington,[21] where she focused on the dynamics of endangered species populations and exploring the challenges of conserving biodiversity in a changing world.
With support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, her PhD work focused on the development of quantitative criteria for decision-making under the Endangered Species Act.
[1] Gerber joined the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis as a postdoctoral researcher in 1999, where she looked at recovery of endangered species and design of marine reserves.
Her research has encompassed topics from assessing population viability and species recovery to incorporating economic considerations into conservation planning.
[3] The Center works with researchers from across the university, looking to encourage discoveries that conserve and sustain biodiversity and link those innovations to decision-making.
She has served as an advisor and consultant for governmental and non-governmental organizations, providing guidance on conservation strategies, biodiversity management, and environmental policy.
In 2021 she provided expert testimony for U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in a hearing, “Examining Biodiversity Loss: Drivers, Impacts, and Potential Solutions.”[27] In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, she produced a handbook designed to teach field biologists how to make use of population and demographic analysis.