Academician/Research Scholar at Professor and researcher🎓
Leidy Azucena Ramírez-Fráncel is a distinguished biologist from Colombia, with expertise in the study of insectivorous bats. She holds a PhD in Biological Sciences and currently serves as a professor and researcher at the University of Ibagué. As a Minciencias Fellow, her work significantly contributes to the conservation of tropical dry forests, focusing on the ecological role of bats in pest control.
Professional Profile
Education 🎓
Leidy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences, a Master’s, and a PhD in Biological Sciences, all from the University of Tolima. Her doctoral thesis was recognized for its excellence, particularly in its examination of ecomorphological traits of bats.
Work Experience 🏢
She is a postdoctoral researcher and professor at the University of Ibagué. Leidy’s professional journey includes significant contributions to understanding bat ecology, particularly how their cranial morphology and bite force allow them to adapt to different prey in tropical ecosystems.
Skills 🔬
Her skill set includes expertise in ecomorphology, field research, biological control, ecological conservation, and statistical analysis related to biodiversity. She is also proficient in scientific writing and publishing.
Awards and Honors 🏆
He has been recognized for his innovative contributions to medical biotechnology and has received multiple grants and funding for his research projects, underlining his reputation as a leader in the field.
Membership 🌍
Leidy is associated with several scientific communities, contributing her expertise in biological sciences and conservation efforts. She actively collaborates with Minciencias, a prestigious Colombian research network.
Teaching Experience 👨🏫
As a professor at the University of Ibagué, Leidy teaches courses in biological sciences, guiding students in topics like biodiversity, ecology, and conservation. Her hands-on teaching style incorporates fieldwork, mentoring young researchers, and promoting sustainable conservation practices.
Research Focus 🔍
Her research primarily revolves around the cranial morphology, bite force, and diet of insectivorous bats from the Colombian tropical dry forest. Leidy has published extensively on how these traits allow bats to feed on prey of varying hardness, emphasizing their role in pest control and their ecological importance in maintaining the balance of vulnerable ecosystems.
Publications :
- Bats and their vital ecosystem services: a global review
2022 – Integrative Zoology, 17(1), 2-23
- Mamíferos en relictos de bosque seco tropical del Tolima, Colombia
2015 – Mastozoología Neotropical, 22(1), 11-21
- Mamíferos del departamento del Tolima: distribución y estado de conservación
2019 – Revista UDCA Actualidad & Divulgación Científica, 22(2)
- Foraging strategies, craniodental traits, and interaction in the bite force of Neotropical frugivorous bats (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae)
2021 – Ecology and Evolution, 11(20), 13756-13772
- Using MaxEnt modeling to predict the potential distribution of Platyrrhinus ismaeli (Phyllostomidae)
2020 – Therya, 11(2), 203-212
- Human-bat interactions in central Colombia: regional perceptions of a worldwide fragile life zone
2021 – Ethnobiology and Conservation, 10, 1-18
- Consumo de plantas pioneras por murciélagos frugívoros en un fragmento de bosque seco tropical (Colombia)
2019 – Ciencia en Desarrollo, 10(2), 33-41
- Bats and their vital ecosystem services: a global review
2022 – Integrative Zoology, 17(1), 2-23
- Skull morphology, bite force, and diet in insectivorous bats from tropical dry forests in Colombia
2021 – Biology, 10(10), 1012
- Potential distribution of Sphaeronycteris toxophyllum in Colombia and new record
2018 – Therya, 9(3), 255-260