Meredith Semel
USA
Doctoral Candidate and Outreach Center Director
Meredith studies the impact of forest fragmentation and human encroachment on social/spatial behavior and stress physiology of Madagascar's lemurs. Her current study species, the golden-crowned sifaka, is a critically endangered lemur found only in a small corner of northeastern Madagascar. She uses a mix of habitat sampling, behavioral follows, fecal sampling, community education, and guide training programs to better understand the threats to sifaka and to collaborate with local stockholders and Malagasy NGOs to conserve them. She is also the director of a newly constructed outreach center in Daraina, Madagasar which focuses on connecting students and adults to local biodiversity, improving environmental education, and enhancing local involvement in conservation.
Meredith also studies stress physiology of captive sifaka at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, NC. By understanding the factors influencing both wild and captive lemur stress physiology, we can work towards successful conservation initiatives in Madagascar and proper husbandry in a zoological setting.
Prior to beginning her PhD studies at Virginia Tech, Meredith also conducted field work in a range of mammalian taxa in South Africa, Madagascar, Thailand, and Costa Rica, but specializes in primate ecology. She also previously taught high school biology and has a passion for helping others foster a sense of wonder towards the natural world and a desire to protect the resources and species on Earth. Meredith also seeks out ways to improve equity and inclusion of women in STEM and conservation- especially involving Malagasy women in every step of conservation initiatives on Madagascar.