Meghan Martin serves PDXWildlife as a staff scientist. In this position, she researches species such as rhesus macaques, Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits, Asian elephants, and giant pandas.
Her work addresses behavioral and ecological research to tackle conservation problems, especially those related to captive breeding. She is particularly interested in how captive breeding methods can be improved to increase reproductive success of endangered species. In addition to her research, she teaches Human Anatomy and Physiology at PCC Sylvania, PCC Cascade, Clark College, and PSU.
Meghan graduated from Reed College, Portland, OR in 2003, with a bachelor’s of arts in biology. She immediately got a job working at the Oregon National Primate Research Center through OHSU. After two years of working with Rhesus macaques on calorie restriction and aging she received an internship to study with the Smithsonian Institute in Chengdu, China working on giant panda behavior. AFter completing this work she moved on to Portland State University and the Oregon Zoo, where she earned a master’s degree in 2009 in animal behavior under the supervision of Dr. David Shepherdson, a renowned animal welfare researcher. She is currently going for her doctoral degree in animal behavior at Portland State University and part of her work on pandas will be applied to this degree.
Meghan is actively involved in the mentorship of students, locally and internationally during her PhD work in China. Starting in 2012 Meghan is excited to expand her work to involve undergraduate interns who will get the unique opportunity to live abroad in China and study giant pandas (check back for intern postings soon).
Publications
- Nathan J.P. Wintle & Meghan S. Martin. An Analysis of Total Mercury in the Wild Bamboo Species (Bambusa emeiensis) from Ya’an, Sichuan, China, Journal of the American Bamboo Society, in review.
- Martin M.S. & D. Shepherdson. 2012. The role of familiarity and preference on reproductive success in ex-situ conservation breeding programs. Conservation Biology 26(4):649-56.
- Martin, M.S., Gleaser, S.S., Finnegan, M., Hunt, K., & J.L. Brown 2012. Investigation of animal variability, synchronicity, and impact of life events on reproductive cycle dynamics through longitudinal serum progestagen monitoring of female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Oregon Zoo. Theriogenology 78 (2):285-296.
- Gleaser, S.S., Martin, M.S., Finnegan, M., & J.L. Brown 2008. Investigation of animal variability on reproductive cycle dynamics through longitudinal serum progestagen monitoring of female asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Oregon Zoo. In: International Elephant Foundation Meeting Proceedings; 2008 Nov; Pataya, Thailand.
- Martin, M.S., Gleaser, S.S., Finnegan, M., Brown, & J.L. 2007. Characterization of female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) estrous cycles through longitudinal serum progestagen monitoring at Oregon Zoo. In: Elephant Managers Association Meeting; 2007 Oct; Cincinnati, OH.
- Martin, M.S., Gleaser, S.S., Finnegan, M., Brown, & J.L. 2007. Characterization of female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) estrous cycles through longitudinal serum progestagen monitoring at Oregon Zoo. In: International Elephant Foundation Meeting; 2007 Nov; Orlando, FL.
- Koegler, F.H., P.J. Enriori, S.K. Billes, D.L. Takahashi, M.S. Martin, R.L. Clark, A.E. Evans, K.L. Grove, & J.L. Cameron. 2005. Peptide YY inhibits morning, but not evening, food intake and decreases body weight in Rhesus Macaques. Diabetes 54: 3198-3204.