bio

- Education

2010EXP PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, E3B, Columbia University

2008 MPhil in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, E3B, Columbia University

2007 Graduate Certificate in Environmental Policy, Columbia University

2005 M.A. in Conservation Biology, E3B, Columbia University

2001 Certificate Program in Conservation Biology, CERC, Columbia University

2003 Licentiate in Biological Sciences (Honors). Department of Ecology, Genetics and

Evolution. University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina

- Selected publications

Rosenbaum H, Pomilla C, Mendez M, Leslie M, Best PB, Findlay KP, Minton G, Ersts PJ, Collins T, Engel MH, Bonatto S, Kotze PGH, Meyer M, Barendse J, Thorton M, Razafindrakoto Y, Ngouessono S, Vely M, and Kiszka J. 2009. Population structure of humpback whales from their breeding grounds in the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. PLoS ONE 4 (10): e7318

Mendez M. 2009. Mito-communication: Genetic-demographic models of population decline. Mitochondrial DNA 20 (5-6):103-104

Mendez M, and Leslie MS. 2009. Mito-communication: Cetacean mitogenomics. Mitochondrial DNA DOI: 10.1080/19401730902852976

Gomez A, and Mendez M. 2009. Marine protected areas in South America: a spatial assessment of cetacean distribution coverage. In press in the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, LAJAM.(both authors contributed equally to this publication)

Mendez M, Rosenbaum H, and Bordino P. 2008. Conservation genetics of the franciscana dolphin in Northern argentina: population structure, by-catch impacts, and management implications. Conservation Genetics 9(2): 419-435

Mendez M, Waller T, Micucci P, Alvarenga E, and Morales JC. 2007. Genetic population structure of the yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) in Northern Argentina: management implications. Biology of the Boas and Pythons. pp: 405-415. Edited by Robert W. Henderson and Robert Powel. Eagle Mountain Publishing, LC.

Mendez M, Gómez A, Bynum N, Medellín RA, Porzecanski AL, and Sterling E. 2007. Conservation Education in LatinAmerica: availability of formal academic programs in conservation biology. Conservation Biology 21(6): 1399-1403

Rodriguez JP, A B Taber, P Daszak, R Sukumar, C Valladares-Padua, S Padua, LF Aguirre, RA Medellin, M Acosta, AA Aguirre, C Bonacic, P Bordino, J Bruschini, D Buchori, S Gonzalez, T Mathew, M Mendez, L Mugica, LF Pacheco, AP Dobson, and M Pearl. 2007. Environment - Globalization of conservation: a view from the south. Science 317:755-756

Rodriguez JP, A B Taber, P Daszak, R Sukumar, C Valladares-Padua, S Padua, LF Aguirre, RA Medellin, M Acosta, AA Aguirre, C Bonacic, P Bordino, J Bruschini, D Buchori, S Gonzalez, T Mathew, M Mendez, L Mugica, AP Dobson, and M Pearl. 2007. Global and local conservation priorities - Response. Science 318:1380-1382

Mendez M. 2003. Estructuración poblacional y filogeografía de la boa Curiyú (Eunectes notaeus) en el noreste argentino. Tesis de Licenciatura. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. 61pp

P Bordino, S Kraus, D Albareda, A Fazio, A Palmerio, M Mendez, and S Botta. 2002. Reducing incidental mortality of franciscana dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei with acoustic warning devices attached to fishing nets. Marine Mammal Science 18(4): 833-842

[email me for the PDF of any of these articles]

(for a full list of publications see the complete CV in PDF below)

- Selected scientific presentations

Oral presentation: Environmental factors to population structure in cetaceans: conservation genetics of franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) in Argentina. 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec, Canada.

Invited oral presentation: Use of cetacean genetic and demographic data for MPA design. Workshop: Identification of areas of high marine conservation value in the “Canales y Fiordos Australes” ecorregion in Chile and Argentina. Organized by WCS.

Invited keynote presentation: Herramientas genéticas para la conservación de cetáceos: de poblaciones a especies y áreas protegidas marinas. Symposium: “Darwin, la Selección Natural del Conocimiento: el Origen de Grandes Ideas”. Tadeo Lozano University, Bogota, Colombia.

Oral presentation: Environmental determinants of population structure in small cetaceans: conservation genetics of the franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) in Northern Argentina. 17th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Cape Town, South Africa.

Analyzing demographic impacts and genetic consequences of high levels of by-batch in the Franciscana Dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, in Argentina. 16th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, San Diego, USA

Population structure and phylogeography of the Curiyú boa, Eunectes notaeus, in Northern Argentina: management implications. 18th Annual Meeting, Society for Conservation Biology. Columbia University

- Manuscript reviewer

Molecular Ecology, PLoS ONE, Heredity, Marine Ecology Progress Series, EcoHealth, Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Sciences

- Guest lecturer

2009, 2007. Graduate course in Conservation Biology.

Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University.

2009, 2008, 2007, 2006. Graduate course in Ecology and Biodiversity.

School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA); Columbia University.

2008. Graduate course in Marine Conservation Ecology.

Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University.

2007. Undergraduate course in Conservation Biology. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University.

2009. Course on Wildlife Conservation, Barnard School, New York.

2008. United Nations International School.

- Teaching

2009, 2008, 2007, 2006. Teaching Assistant & GIS Laboratory Instructor. Ecology and Biodiversity. School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA); Columbia University.

2008. Mathematics Instructor. MPA in Environmental Science and Policy. School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA); Columbia University.

2007. Conservation Biology. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University.

2006. Teaching Assistant & Laboratory Instructor. Environmental Biology II. Depts. of Earth & Environmental Sciences and Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University.

2005. Teaching Assistant & Laboratory Instructor. Environmental Biology I. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University.

(bio)