Biosketch

Miranda Melen lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, studying ecology and evolutionary biology. She has a background in restoration, vegetation management, plant conservation, and teaching. Miranda is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz, working with Dr. Ingrid Parker to research the mechanisms of plant invasion. 

She has previously worked for the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory as the Senior Ecologist for the Habitats Program, where she assisted in restoring and managing sensitive ecosystems in the San Francisco Bay. Her work primarily focused on the saltmarsh ecosystem and the restoration of levees to protect coastal communities from sea-level rise and to provide valuable habitat for native species. Miranda was also a lecturer for the Environmental Studies Department at San Jose State University, where she taught restoration ecology. 

She has traveled to Costa Rica for primate research and rainforest restoration, and kayaked around two desert islands off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. During her leisure time, she indulges in her passion for kayaking, hiking, camping, and trying out new recipes, which serve as outlets for rejuvenation and creativity.