Ivana Mali

Ivana Mali is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University, affiliated with the College of Natural Resources. Her research focuses on freshwater turtle ecology, population dynamics, and conservation biology, with an emphasis on threatened species like the Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi). She investigates topics such as morphological abnormalities, disease ecology (e.g., hantavirus in rodents), and behavioral adaptations under environmental pressures like drought and urbanization.

Her work integrates field studies, genetic analysis, and spatial modeling to address conservation challenges. Recent studies include evaluating the impacts of salinization on riverine vertebrates, optimizing trapping methods for population monitoring, and studying nocturnal basking behaviors in turtles. She also explores human-wildlife interfaces, such as rodent-borne pathogens and turtle interactions with anthropogenic infrastructure like irrigation canals.

Dr. Mali has contributed to projects funded by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and other agencies, emphasizing applied conservation tools like artificial refuges for amphibians and microchip tracking systems for reptiles. Her research spans multiple U.S. states, with a particular focus on arid and semi-arid ecosystems.

Her advising and grants focus on student training in field techniques, population genetics, and conservation planning. She collaborates with agencies to translate research into management strategies for threatened species.