Miranda Melen

Miranda Melen is an academic affiliated with Santa Clara University's Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Santa Cruz and a Master's in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University. Her research focuses on ecological and evolutionary drivers of plant invasions, particularly Dittrichia graveolens, and conservation biology of endangered species like the Santa Cruz wallflower. She has taught courses in ecological restoration and applied ecology as a lecturer at San Jose State and Santa Clara University.

• Education: B.A. in Environmental Studies (SCU, 2009), M.S. in Environmental Studies (SJSU), Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (UCSC).
• Research: Investigates plant invasion dynamics in disturbed ecosystems and conservation strategies for endangered flora. Collaborated with SCU's Dr. Virginia Matzek on endangered species studies.
• Teaching: Lectured on environmental restoration and applied ecology at SJSU and SCU.

Her work bridges field research in Costa Rica and California with lab-based experiments to understand ecological processes. She has contributed to ecological restoration projects through roles at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory.