Although trained primarily as a scientist, LaCerva considers herself first and foremost to be an artist. Her current work explores ideas of "wildness," the history of domestication, and the nature:culture divide. She received her MS from Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and her MA in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge. LaCerva has conducted field work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Borneo, Sweden, and Indonesia. Her research and writing have been supported by a number of grants and fellowships including the National Science Foundation and the Tropical Resources Institute Endowment Fellowship. She has held residencies at PLAYA, Summer Lake, OR. and at Grey Towers, Milford, PA. through the U.S. Forest Service.