Jörg Melzheimer
“I love science, I enjoy communicating and I find it rewarding to solve problems that are outside my comfort zone. The field of human wildlife interaction needs and offers all of this. It allows to make a difference using science as a tool in the real world together with the people involved - for a future we want to pass on to our children.”
Dr Jörg Melzheimer is the spatial ecologist and project coordinator of the Cheetah Research Project. Jörg received his PhD on the spatial ecology of free-ranging cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and its applications to mitigate the farmer-cheetah conflict in Namibia.
Jörg works in these sub-projects in the CRP
Professional experience
Since 2005 research scientist and project coordinator of the Cheetah Research Project at Leibniz-IZW. Expert in capturing and deployment of biologgers on mammals and the analyses of the resulting spatial data. Deep knowledge of the ecology of savanna ecosystems and the corresponding mammal fauna. Paraprofessional veterinarian for chemical immobilization of wildlife as well as gun licence for dart-guns. Many years of experience in and enormous passion about science communication as well as involvement of citizens scientists in research projects. Outstanding technical expertise and remarkable troubleshooting skills as well as inventor of various scientific instruments and tools.
Education
Doctoral degree at Freie Universität Berlin
“Diplom” with distinction in Biology, University of Potsdam
Academic studies of Ecology, Evolution and Nature Conservation at the Universities of Potsdam (Germany), Witwatersrand (South Africa) and Marburg (Germany)