Sheila Conant grew up in Hawaii, where she developed her interest in natural history, especially birds. She has a BA and an MS in Zoology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and an MS in botany and a PhD in zoology from the University of Oklahoma. She has been on the faculty at the University of Hawaii since 1975, and is now Professor and Chair in the Department of Zoology. She has been working on the life history, ecology and conservation Hawaiian birds for more than 40 years and from 1980 to the late 1990's has worked primarily on the biota of the Northwestern Hawaiian islands. She teaches courses in ecology and conservation biology and has supervised the work of a number of graduate students.

Professor Conant has over 60 articles and technical reports published, over 50 invited and contributed papers presented, also numerous public lectures and popular articles. She was two-time past president of the Hawaii Audubon Society, and her public service includes development of environmental education curricula for elementary schools in Hawaii, service on numerous commissions, advisory committees, etc. on conservation of Hawaiian plants and animals, etc. etc.