Expert Highlight: Jelaine L. Gan, PhD
Dr. Jelaine L. Gan is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, and Head of its Ecology and Taxonomy Academic Group. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Biology from the University of the Philippines Diliman before completing her PhD in Biology at Newcastle University, United Kingdom in 2025.
Her expertise is on the ecology of birds and other vertebrates, particularly on migration, population biology, and urban ecology. Her current research interest is on how habitat fragmentation is affecting bird communities and movement in the forest landscapes of Luzon, Philippines, and how this will impact bird-mediated seed dispersal.
Dr. Gan has been instrumental in advancing knowledge of the UP Diliman campus environment. She co-authored the updated inventory of non-avian vertebrates in UP Diliman, contributing valuable baseline information on the campus's biodiversity. She also helped establish The UP Wild, an initiative that promotes appreciation of the campus's urban biodiversity through nature walks, citizen science activities, and science communication.
In addition, Dr. Gan served as co-head of the Technical Working Group on Biodiversity Management (TWGBM), a multidisciplinary body created by the Office of the Chancellor in 2018 to develop policies and guidelines for the management and protection of biodiversity in UP Diliman. The TWGBM led the preparation of the University's Biodiversity Management Handbook, which serves as a guide for administrative units in integrating biodiversity conservation into campus planning, operations, and development.
Through her research, policy work, and public engagement, Dr. Gan continues to strengthen biodiversity conservation and environmental stewardship in UP Diliman, demonstrating how the campus can serve as a living laboratory for research, education, and sustainable environmental management.
Areas of Expertise
- Urban ecology
- Biodiversity conservation
- Bird ecology and migration
- Wildlife monitoring
- Campus biodiversity
- Environmental education and citizen science
Approaches/Tools
- Citizen science
- Telemetry or GPS tracking
- Remote sensing
Featured Research & Outputs in Green UPDate
- Acoustic indices as proxies for bird species richness in an urban green space in Metro Manila (2023)
- An Updated Inventory and Habitat Association Analysis of the Non-avian Vertebrates of the University of the Philippines Diliman (2022)
- University of the Philippines Diliman Biodiversity Management Handbook (2020)
- The Influence of Vegetation and Insect Abundance on Insectivorous Bat Activity during Dusk Emergence in an Urban Space in Metro Manila, Philippines (2019)
Dr. Gan's work demonstrates how the UP Diliman campus functions as an important urban ecosystem and living laboratory. Her research provides evidence that supports biodiversity conservation in campus planning, helping ensure that ecological considerations remain part of the University's sustainable development efforts. Additionally, her citizen science initiatives through the UP Wild community aid in environmental education and stewardship.
