Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman, Ph.D
She is an ecologist by training, but an interdisciplinary researcher by experience. Her disciplinary research assesses evolutionary ecology, bio-conservation, and ecological responses to climate variability. In the past 10 years, her research has expanded to address sustainability and adaptive capacity issues within the context of urban social-ecological systems. She has served as a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on grants from state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations such as the Department of Natural Resources, NSF, USFS, USDA and Ford. Her work has assessed the vulnerabilities experienced by endangered plants, but she has also worked on projects that combine ecological and social knowledge to answer questions about resilience and urban sustainability.