Jean Mengelkoch

Jean Mengelkoch serves as an Associate Research Scientist in Mammalogy at the Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, focusing on wildlife conservation and ecological research. Her work bridges field studies with policy applications to address biodiversity challenges.

Her research expertise spans Endangered Species Conservation, Bat Ecology, Wildlife Management, and Species Recovery, with emphasis on U.S. Endangered Species Act implementation. Key investigations include bat habitat dynamics influenced by large water bodies like Lake Michigan, disease ecology related to white-nose syndrome, and quantitative assessment of species recovery metrics for conservation decision-making.

Recent publications demonstrate a trajectory from empirical fieldwork to policy-oriented analysis, highlighting collaborations across 15+ institutions. Her 2024 Conservation Science and Practice paper establishes frameworks for improving endangered species recovery tracking, while earlier works examine silver-haired bat biogeography and temporal disease patterns in bat populations, reflecting interdisciplinary integration of ecology, policy, and conservation science.