Dr. Melissa Sanchez Herrera

I am an evolutionary biologist and the Executive Director of the MaSuy Foundation in Bogotá. My work is driven by a long-standing fascination with the Neotropical world, specifically the evolutionary history and conservation of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). Throughout my career, I have sought to bridge the gap between high-level academic research and the practical needs of biodiversity conservation in the Global South.

My academic foundation began in Colombia at Universidad de los Andes, and I later earned my PhD in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University. My doctoral research focused on the complex role of color polymorphism in species delimitation, using the Neotropical Polythore genus as a model. This work led me to integrate phylogenomics with traditional morphology to understand how these insects diversify across the Andean landscape. Today, I continue this research as a Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, where I focus on the biogeography and systematics of aquatic insects.

In recent years, my focus has expanded toward the development of innovative monitoring tools. I served as the Co-PI for the "Fishing Dragonflies" project, where we successfully utilized environmental DNA (eDNA) and metabarcoding to assess the health of Colombian watersheds. This methodology allows us to transform scientific data into actionable conservation strategies, ensuring that freshwater ecosystems are monitored with the precision that modern technology allows.

Beyond the laboratory, I am deeply committed to international scientific leadership and equity. I currently serve as the President of the World Dragonfly Association and am a past President of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas. In these roles, I have worked to foster a more inclusive scientific community, specifically by founding Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE) committees and providing resources for BIPOC students through the Entomologists of Color (EntoPOC) collective. I believe that the challenges of global insect decline cannot be solved without the active leadership of researchers from the regions most affected by biodiversity loss.

Whether I am coordinating international research networks to investigate insect decline or mentoring undergraduate students in Bogotá, my goal remains the same: to advance our understanding of the natural world while building a more equitable and sustainable framework for scientific discovery in the tropics.