Courses:
VME6574 Aquatic Animal Pathology and Forensic Science
Academic Qualifications:
Megan Stolen earned her BSc. and MSc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Forensic Science and Conservation from the University of Florida. She has worked as a marine mammal stranding investigator for over 30 years and is one of five NOAA-approved large whale necropsy team leaders for the Atlantic coast of the U.S. She is a senior scientist at Blue World Research Institute.
In 2016, she developed a citizen science network to study North American river otters – Florida Otter Spotters – which collects data on live sightings and vehicle strikes. She conducts necropsies on a variety of animals including seabirds, gopher tortoises and small mammals as a volunteer at her local wildlife hospital. She has published papers on a variety of subjects including age estimation of cetaceans, health and contaminants in otters and marine mammals, and population ecology. Her current research focuses on taphonomy, human-wildlife conflict and trauma in Florida wildlife and marine mammals. She is a Director of the International Society for Animal Forensic Science and a member of the Society for Wildlife Forensic Science, Society for Marine Mammalogy, The Wildlife Society, National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association and IUCN Otter Working Group.