Akito Kawahara Male • United States of America

Akito Kawahara is the Director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Curator at the museum, and a Professor at the University of Florida. In 2023, he took on the leadership role of the McGuire Center, where he manages one of the world’s largest collections of butterflies and moths, totaling over 10 million specimens. In this capacity, he guides cutting-edge research, supports public education on Lepidoptera, and works with donors to secure funding for the center’s research and conservation efforts.

Kawahara’s primary research focuses on Lepidoptera, the insect order that includes more than 160,000 species of butterflies and moths. His scientific interests range from genetics and evolutionary biology to behavioral ecology. One of the primary areas of his work is studying moths' defensive behaviors, mainly how they produce ultrasound to protect themselves from bat predation. This remarkable adaptation offers insight into how evolutionary pressures shape insects' survival mechanisms.

In addition to predator-prey dynamics, Kawahara’s lab explores the broader question of insect biodiversity. His team examines how factors such as the time of day an insect is active influence its evolutionary traits and diversity. Using a combination of advanced techniques, including phylogenetic analysis, behavioral science, and genomics, he seeks to answer key questions about why so many species of insects exist and how they adapt to changing environmental conditions. He also studies the effects of human activities, including habitat loss and light pollution, on the behavior and survival of these insects.

Kawahara has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career for his contributions to entomology. These include the John Henry Comstock Award from the Entomological Society of America and the Alexander B. Klots Award from the Lepidopterists’ Society. He has also been the principal investigator for over 20 major research grants, totaling over $13 million in funding from organizations like the National Science Foundation. These grants have supported many projects focused on understanding the evolution of moths and butterflies, their interactions with predators, and their roles in ecosystems.

Kawahara is also prolific, having published over 200 peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals such as Science and PNAS. His research has provided valuable insights into moth and butterfly evolution, their use of ultrasonic defense mechanisms, and their intricate relationships with echolocating bats.

Beyond his research, Kawahara’s work has gained media attention. He has appeared in documentaries such as PBS’s American Spring Live and Nature’s Sex, Lies, and Butterflies and has been featured on NPR’s Science Friday. His findings have also been discussed in The Washington Post and Smithsonian Magazine. In his TED Talk, “Why You Can Thank a Moth,” he discusses the critical ecological roles that moths play in pollination and their surprising contributions to human advancements in medicine and technology.

Kawahara is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of scientists. He frequently engages with young students through presentations and outreach programs, helping to foster curiosity and appreciation for the natural world.

Kawahara holds an undergraduate degree in Entomology from Cornell University and a Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. His doctoral research focused on the phylogenetics of leaf-mining moths.

Outside of academics, Kawahara enjoys playing basketball and tennis and spending time with his two children. He is fluent in Japanese and English and has a working knowledge of Spanish and Chinese. Having spent much of his childhood in New York City and Tokyo, his bicultural upbringing has significantly shaped his career and personal life.