Alejandro Mieles García

Senior Environmental Specialist with a PhD in Environmental and Forest Biology and over 20 years of experience in higher education teaching, research operations, and ecological restoration. Currently working on the Scalesia pedunculata forest restoration project in the Galapagos Islands, integrating ecological theory with practical restoration strategies for island ecosystems. Demonstrated capacity to supervise multidisciplinary teams, manage field logistics in remote environments, and oversee long-term biodiversity monitoring programs. Mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and translating scientific evidence into actionable conservation practices. Committed to advancing restoration ecology and biodiversity conservation through effective team leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.

• OIGS Graduate Student Travel Grant, 05/18
• Alumni Association Grant, 03/18
• Gerald N. Lanier Memorial Award, 05/17

• Dr. Xavier Silva, Entomologist | Academic Director, Ecuador: Comparative Ecology & Conservation SIT Study Abroad, a Program of World Learning, xavier.silva@sit.edu, +593 99 502 5143
• Dr. Margaret A. Voss, Associate Professor, Falk College Nutrition & Food Studies: Syracuse University, mavoss@syr.edu, (315) 443-3853
• Dr. Juan Carlo Intriago Zambrano, Water Management at TU Delft, J.C.IntriagoZambrano@tudelft.nl, +31 152783391
• Dr. Helmut H. Rogg, Senior Entomologist and Permit Scientist for Biological Control, USDA APHIS PPQ 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737 helmuth.rogg@usda.gov (802)-522-2378

• The forest within the forest: restoration of Galapagos host-epiphyte networks. P. Feldmann, R. Heleno, A.E. Mieles, M.M. Andrade, A. Traveset, Heinke Jäger & I. Donoso (2026). Proceedings B. Accepted.
• Neglected - floral visitors in the Galapagos Islands: understanding the structure of ant-flower interaction networks. Mieles, A., Dáttilo, W., & Traveset, A. (2026). Journal: Journal of Applied Entomology 150(3), 321-332.
• Islas: Los ecosistemas más vulnerables a las invasiones biológicas. Muñoz-Gallego, R., Correia, M., Costa, A., Donoso, I., Hervías-Parejo, S., Mieles, A., ... & Traveset, A. (2025). Ecosistemas 34(3): 2947.
• Effects of Peri-Urbanization on Coastal Sage Scrub Ant Species in Baja California, A. E. Mieles, Margaret A. Voss and Estelí Jiménez-Soto, (2023). Diversity, 15, 953, https://doi.org/10.3390/d15090953.
• Forecasting occurrence of palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average modeling, Pacheco-Sánchez, E. L., Guamani-Quimis, L. A., da Rosa, C. E., Portalanza, D., A. E. Mieles, & Garcés-Fiallos, F. R., Scientia Agropecuaria, 2023, 14, 2, 171-178.
• Integrating biochemical and behavioral approaches to develop a bait to manage the invasive yellow paper wasp Polistes versicolor (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) in the Galápagos Islands, Mariana Bulgarella, A. E. Mieles, Jacqueline Rodríguez, Yesenia Campaña, Georgia M. Richardson, Robert A. Keyzers, Charlotte E. Causton & Philip J. Lester, (2022). Neotropical Biodiversity, 8.
• Interaction between Ceratocystis cacaofunesta and coleopterans (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) on cacao trees: an updated review, Anderson Paladines-Rezabala, Anthony A. Moreira-Morrillo, A. E. Mieles and Felipe R. Garcés-Fiallos, Scientia Agropecuaria, 2022, 13, 1, 43-52.
• Avances en la comprensión de la interacción entre Ceratocystis cacaofunesta y Xyleborus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) en árboles de cacao. Scientia Agropecuaria, 2022. 13(1), 43-52.
• Identification and Optimization of Microbial Attractants for Philornis Downsi, An Invasive Fly Parasitic on Galapagos Birds. (2016) Journal of Chemical Ecology 42(11), pp.1101-1111.
• Darwin's finches treat their feathers with a natural repellent. Cimadom, A., Causton, C., Cha, D.H., Damiens, D., Fessl, B., Hood-Nowotny, R., Lincango, P., Mieles, A.E., Nemeth, E., Semler, E.M. and Teale, S.A., (2016). Scientific Reports.
• Influencia de la fuerza del oleaje en la diversidad y abundancia de organismos bentónicos y macroalgas del sitio el Rocío, Manabí Ecuador. 2012. A. E. Mieles. Revista San Gregorio. No. 3: pp. 19-23.
• Distribution, Conservation, and Larval Food Plant of Epiplema becki (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Uraniidae) on the Galapagos Islands 2005. Lázaro Roque-Albelo & A. E. Mieles. Galapagos Research 63: pp. 18-22.
• The ants of Marchena Island, twelve years after the introduction of the little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata. 2000. Lázaro Roque-Albelo, Charlotte E. Causton & A. E. Mieles. Galapagos Research 61: pp. 18-22.