Dr. Nir Stern is an associate curator of Fishes at the Steinhardt Museum and the head of ichthyology lab at the Israeli Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute (IOLR).

He completed his PhD in Zoology in which he used traditional and molecular methods to examine the taxonomy and systematics of marine sardines (Clupeidae), under the supervision of Dr. Menachem Goren (TAU) and Prof. Buki Rinkevich (IOLR).

He studies various aspects of marine and freshwater ichthyology, giving special focus to taxonomy, systematics, species delimitation, phylogenetic, phylogeography, population genetic, evolution and biological invasion processes.

He is also in charge on monitoring the biodiversity of the soft bottoms of the Israeli Mediterranean, as part of the governmental national monitoring project led by IOLR.

He is an active member in the European Ichthyology Society (EIS), in editorial boards of several scientific journals, and has authored over 30 scientific papers.