Martin Wikelski

Martin Wikelski is the Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Radolfzell/Konstanz and an Honorary Professor of Ornithology at the University of Konstanz. He specializes in animal migration, behavioral ecology, and conservation biology, leading global initiatives like the ICARUS satellite tracking project. His work bridges scientific research and public engagement, focusing on tracking animal movements to address biodiversity loss and climate change challenges.

Education:

• 1991: Diploma in Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich
• 1994: PhD in Biology, University of Bielefeld

Key Roles:

• Founder and Chair of Movebank (2006–present)
• Chair of Migration Ecology Task Force on Wildlife Disease (2011–present)
• Vice President, German Ornithologists Society (2015–2019)

Research Contributions: Wikelski pioneered satellite-based wildlife tracking via ICARUS, linking animal behavior to environmental changes. His work integrates technology, ecology, and public outreach to study migration patterns, species conservation, and ecological forecasting. He emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering global networks like Movebank to share animal movement data.

Awards:

• Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg (2021)
• Max Planck Research Award (2016)
• Fellow, National Geographic Society (2017)

Advising & Grants: While specific student names or grant details are not listed, his leadership positions imply extensive mentorship and funding through projects like ICARUS, involving collaborations with institutions like the German Aerospace Center and Roskosmos. His work receives support for large-scale ecological monitoring and conservation initiatives.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior and collaborates with Movebank, a global platform for animal movement research.