Rate My Professor Jeanette Wyneken

Dr. Jeanette Wyneken is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Florida Atlantic University in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Director of the FAU Marine Lab at Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1988. Since joining FAU around 2000, her research has centered on vertebrate morphology (comparative, functional, and developmental), physiological ecology, behavioral ecology, and marine conservation biology. Her lab explores how organisms interact with their environments through multidisciplinary approaches including conservation biology, functional morphology, ecology, ethology, physiology, and developmental biology. Particular emphasis is placed on sea turtles, investigating migratory swimming behaviors, the impacts of weather and climate on eggs and rookeries, nest temperatures, primary sex ratios, and management implications. Current projects examine skewed sex ratios, morphological influences on behavioral plasticity, and comparative data across four sea turtle species.

Wyneken authored the influential book The Anatomy of Sea Turtles (NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-470, 2001), which has garnered significant citations. Notable publications include "Wyneken J, Salmon M. 2020. Linking Ecology, Morphology and Behavior to Conservation: Lessons Learned from Studies of Sea Turtles. Integrative and Comparative Biology 60(2):440-455," "Mansfield KL, Wyneken J, Luo J. 2021. First Atlantic Satellite Tracks of ‘Lost Years’ Green Turtles Support the Importance of a Sargasso Sea as a Sea Turtle Nursery. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 288:20210057," and "Monsinjon JR, Guillon J, Wyneken J, Girondot M. 2022. Thermal Reaction Norm for Sexualization: The Missing Link between Temperature and Sex Ratio for Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination. Ecological Modelling 473:110119." She received the International Sea Turtle Society Champions Award in 2019 for outstanding work towards effective conservation of sea turtles. Her research is supported by the Sea Turtle Grants Program and a $1.6 million grant from the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation in 2024 to extend the SEA Scholars program, which she created to train students in marine science research, public education, and outreach. Through long-term studies, collaborations, and science communication, Wyneken's contributions inform sea turtle management strategies and enhance public understanding of marine conservation.