Melquisedec Gamba-Rios, PhD •  Behavioral Ecologist

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I am a

behavioral ecologist

Melquisedec Gamba-Rios, PhD

Presented by BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL

MY PATH

How I became a photographer, explorer, and behavioral ecologist.

MAJOR INFLUENCES

  • Growing Up in Nature

    I grew up in the most beautiful jungles of Costa Rica and Colombia. Exploring the outdoors shaped my desire to work in something that required outdoor exploration.

  • Getting Bit by a Bat

    During one of my first fieldwork projects, I was helping a friend release bats into nature. I wasn’t wearing gloves and didn’t know much about how to do it, so I got bit! Nevertheless, I was really intrigued by the experience.

  • Delaying College

    I spent several years working in the army, tech, and outdoor tourism before finally saving enough to go back to school.

I wasn’t that interested in science growing up.

In high school, I preferred history and just exploring outdoors. So I thought about studying geology so that I could combine the two. However, the college I went to wasn’t offering geology as a major that year, so I ended up studying biology and found the exciting world of bats.

Major Milestones

Discovering Bats in College

I started college in Costa Rica five years after I graduated from high school. It was by total chance that I discovered my interest in bats!

My P.h.D.

During my tenure at UT Knoxville, I worked with multiple bat species. My main project focused on bats' behavioral response to predators, which has been an understudied topic in this group of mammals.

Working at Bat Conservation International

After getting my Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology I moved to Florida. Now, I have a job that balances my love of bats, education, and working outside.

Things I learned

along the way:

  • Stay patient.

    Once I finished undergrad, I was eager to get started working with bats. However, I needed to save money to pursue a PhD, so I worked for a few years but developed lots of applicable skills. Being patient also helps me to get a wonderful shot as a photographer.

  • Who you surround yourself with matters.

    I was careful to choose a good PhD advisor because I’d be spending the next 6 years of my life working with that person. I have always been intentional about the people I work with and mentors that I ask.

  • Be curious.

    It’s important to explore lots of different types of science; if you aren’t sure what you’re interested in, you never know what’ll catch your attention.

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Malena Vasquez • Illustrator: Ana Latese

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