Alex Wendt

Alexander Wendt is a dedicated researcher whose focus is the conservation of amphibian species and their habitat. Whether collecting samples from frogs caught in Yellowstone National Park, surveying for amphibians in the cloud forests of Ecuador, or determining flatwoods salamander population connectivity while at Georgia Southern University, Alex has strived to increase the understanding of a taxa often overlooked.

Alex is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Melbourne where he is using genetic techniques to promote our understanding of amphibian populations and discover ways that frogs cope with the deadly fungal disease caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which plagues amphibians worldwide. His efforts have focused on the endangered alpine tree frog whose populations have dwindled by more than 80% since Bd was introduced. Alex hopes to identify what evolutionary pressures this fungus has placed on the species, and to create a plan to keep them from going extinct.