My Story
Hi, I’m Dr. Megan Baldissara, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) working with Dr. Dan Uden and Dr. Andy Little. My research utilizes remote sensing to detect grassland disturbances such as fire, haying, and grazing to understand how they shape habitats for ring-necked pheasants in agricultural landscapes. During my PhD at UNL, I have also had the opportunity to connect with the galliform conservation community in Indonesia, serve as a Teaching Assistant, and contribute to the SNR Graduate Student Association as the Social Chair. At UNL, I have developed expertise in habitat classification and geospatial analysis using Google Earth Engine and R, skills that I intend to apply throughout my career.
Megan (left) with her advisors Andy Little and Dan Uden at her PhD defense
I grew up in Italy surrounded by wildlife, as I often spent my time outdoors exploring woods and fields. This environment sparked my interest in understanding the natural world, prompting me to pursue a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences. As part of my degree, I completed a placement year at the Game and Wildlife Trust (GWCT) in southern England, researching farmland biodiversity. I thoroughly enjoyed working there and discovered my passion for wildlife conservation, which inspired me to pursue further studies and obtain a master's degree in Conservation and Biodiversity in the UK. After my master's, I achieved a Ph.D. Research Assistantship in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The research is highly relevant to the work I carried out for GWCT, which initially sparked my passion for conservation. I am excited to work with UNL to research and conserve farmland species to make a difference in conservation.
Locals in Indonesia collaborating with the Galliformes community to conserve the threatened Maleo megapode