Join us as we welcome Dr. Alejandro Vélez Meléndez, who will share how frogs use sound to communicate, how their environment shapes their calls, and why these tiny voices play such an important role in their social lives. He’ll highlight fascinating research projects happening in sites closeby,  and we’ll also connect that science to the Pacific chorus frogs right here on our own coast.

Dr. Alejandro Vélez Meléndez is an Associate Professor of Biology, where he studies animal communication and sensory ecology, with a focus on how frogs and other animals use sound to interact with each other and their environments. His research integrates behavior, physiology, and evolution to better understand how communication systems develop and respond to environmental change. He has received competitive grants and honors for his work, including an NSF CAREER Award supporting research in communication and sensory ecology. In addition to his research, he is a dedicated educator and mentor who is passionate about connecting science to conservation and community understanding of local wildlife.