L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science - Mélanie Guigueno
2017

Mélanie Guigueno’s research covers behavioural ecology, neuroecology and ecotoxicology. Her MSc at the University of Manitoba and her PhD at Western University have been described as landmark contributions to the field of brood parasitism. Obligate brood parasites lay their eggs in other species’ nests, and Mélanie studied the cues used by hosts to reject parasitism during her MSc. She also studied sex-specific specializations in spatial memory and the hippocampus (the brain region responsible for spatial memory) in the parasites themselves during her PhD. Mélanie applied her skills in behaviour and neuroscience to ecotoxicology during her first post-doctorate, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada, generating results that had direct implications to government policies. For her next post-doctorate at McGill University, she is returning to fundamental research on behaviour, studying social learning in guppies. Through public engagement activities as well as her own scientific research, Mélanie facilitates the public understanding of science and promotes a diversity of researchers entering the scientific establishment. As an advanced postdoctoral scholar, she has mentored dozens of students and had a positive impact on their career debut. Mélanie’s research has appeared in multiple media outlets such as BBC Earth, National Geographic Online and The Globe and Mail.