Meredith Christine Schuman

Meredith Christine Schuman is an Assistant Professor at the University of Zurich (UZH), with dual affiliations in the Department of Geography and the Department of Chemistry. She previously held positions as a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and a Junior Group Leader at the German Center for Integrated Biodiversity Research (iDiv). Her research program integrates molecular ecology, chemical signaling, and remote sensing to investigate genetic and functional diversity in plant systems.

Research Interests: Her work spans molecular ecology, chemical ecology, and ecological genomics, with a focus on how spatial and temporal variation in plant traits influences ecological outcomes. She investigates plant volatiles, defense mechanisms, and the role of genetic diversity in species interactions. Her lab leverages advanced techniques such as imaging spectroscopy, metabolomics, and robotic sampling to study plant responses to herbivory and environmental stress.

The most recent publications highlight a strong interdisciplinary trend, combining remote sensing, plant genomics, and chemical ecology. Key themes include the use of leaf spectroscopy to detect drought responses, the role of the circadian clock in plant defense, and the integration of metabolomics with biodiversity monitoring. Her research increasingly bridges field ecology with data science, particularly in trait imputation and satellite-based biodiversity mapping.

Scientific Awards:

• Max Planck Society Otto Hahn Medal
• Fulbright Scholarship

Advising and Grants: She actively mentors graduate students, as evidenced by her supervision of multiple master’s theses and doctoral dissertations. She leads scientific working groups such as the International Team "Genes from Space" and has secured research funding through her affiliations with MPICE, iDiv, and UZH. Her collaborative network is extensive, involving researchers across Europe and North America in large-scale ecological and genomic initiatives.

Labs and Teams: Her research group combines molecular biology, chemical analysis, and remote sensing technologies. She collaborates closely with the Schaepman lab at UZH and participates in interdisciplinary teams focused on biodiversity monitoring, plant–insect interactions, and global change ecology.