Sinlan Poo (Sheila), Ph.D.
Curator of Research
Program Manager, Sri Lanka CARE Center
Department of Conservation and Research
Memphis Zoo, United States
Adjunct Research Faculty
Department of Biological Sciences
Arkansas State University, United States
蒲歆嵐 博士
孟菲斯動物園 保育研究所 研究主任
阿肯薩州立大學 生物系 兼任教授
Dr. Sinlan Poo (Ph.D., National University of Singapore; B.A., Boston University, summa cum laude with distinction) is the Curator of Research at the Memphis Zoo and holds an adjunct position at Arkansas State University.
She has led research consortia and conducted fieldwork in the U.S., Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Panama, and Ecuador. Her conservation and research efforts have been featured in major outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other international media. She has published more than 40 works, including scientific papers, popular science articles, books, and book chapters, and has secured over $850,000 USD in funding from government agencies, non-profit organizations, private foundations, and individual donors.
Beyond her many projects at the Memphis Zoo, Dr. Poo has co-founded several large-scale national and international initiatives, including Global Women in Herpetology Project (with partners from 50+ countries across six continents), the Zoo-Museum Network (with 40+ U.S. institutions), and the Sri Lanka CARE Project, which focuses on conservation, awareness, research, and education.
Dr. Poo serves on the Advisory Committee of the Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), the Research Committee of Species 360, the Executive Council and Broad of Trustees of The Herpetologists' League, the Board of Directors of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, and the Board of Governors of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
National University of Singapore
Ph.D., Biological Sciences, 2010-2014
Boston University
B.A., Biology with Specialization in Ecology and Conservation Biology, 2003-2007
Summa cum laude, with distinction. Phi Betta Kappa, early initiation.
Professional Certificate & Additional Training
Smithsonian-Masion School of Conservation
Professional Certificate, Conservation Practice Program, 2011-2014
Univeristy of Bordeaux, The Cluster of Excellence
Summer course, Ecology and Society: Biodiversity and Global Change, 2015
Professional Positions
Curator of Research
Conservation and Reseach Department, Memphis Zoo, USA, 2022 - Present
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Arkansas State University, 2019 - Present
Reseach Associate
Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, THAILAND, 2015 - Present
Senior Research Scientist
Conservation and Reseach Department, Memphis Zoo, USA, 2021 - 2022
Director of Conservation
Detriot Zoo, USA, 2021 (Declined)
Research Scientist
Conservation and Reseach Department, Memphis Zoo, USA, 2019 - 2021
Post-doctoral Research Fellow
Conservation and Reseach Department, Memphis Zoo, USA, 2016 - 2019
Lecturer
National University of Singapore, SINGAPORE & SRI LANKA, 2016
Residence Guest Research Instrutor
Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, THAILAND, 2011 - 2014
Teaching Fellow
National University of Singapore, SINGAPORE, 2010 - 2015
Field Biologist
Santa Ana Watershed Association
Riverside Biological Monitoring Program, California, 2008-2009
Fish and Wildlife Scientific Aid
California Department of Fish and Game, California, 2007-2008
Committee Services
Broad of Directors
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2025 - Present
Broad of Governors
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, 2023 - Present
Executive Council, Broad of Trustees
The Herpetologists' League, 2022 - 2025
Collections Committee
Memphis Museum of Science and History, 2022 - 2025
Diversity Committee
Herpetological Conservation Biology, 2021 - Present
Advisory Committee
Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), 2021 - Present
Research Committee
Species 360, 2021 - Present
Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Memphis Zoo, USA, 2021 - Present
S:cientific Committee
Society for Conservation Biology, Asian Chapter, 2015-2016
Research Funding, Scholarship, and Awards
Conservation Action Now Grant
Oklahoma City Zoo, 2026 ($2,494 USD)
Bass Pro Outdoor Fund
Bass Pro, 2026 ($1,000 USD)
Grant for Global Women in Herpetology Project
Gans Collections and Charitable Fundation, 2025 ($10,000 USD)
UWIN Scholar Award
Urban Wildife Information Network, 2026 ($3,000 USD)
JMIH Research Symposium Grant
Herpetologists' League, 2026 ($1,000 USD)
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2026 ($2,000 USD)
American Society of Ichthyology and Herpetology, 2026 ($1,500 USD)
IMLS National Leadership Grant
Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2025 ($615,497 USD)
AZA Biobanking Grant
Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2025 ($149,308 USD)
Endangered Species Fund
The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Foundation, 2025 ($4,639 USD)
Grant for Dusky Gopher Frog Project
Bailey Foundation, 2024, 2025 ($150,428 USD)
Donor Scholarship for Gradaute Research at Memphis Zoo
Memphis Zoo, 2023, 2024 ($20,000 USD total)
Amphibian Conservation Grant
Josh's Frogs, 2023, 2024 ($1,00 USD total)
Symposium Grant
SSAR, Herp League, and ASIH, 2023 ($5,000 USD total)
Conservation Grants Fund
Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2021 ($21,644 USD)
Conservation Action Network Grant
Memphis Zoo, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 ($88,842 USD total)
Biological Collections Workshop Grant
iDigBio, 2020, 2021 ($69,000 USD total)
Amphibian Taxon Advisory Group
Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2017 ($1,000 USD)
Student Scholarship
University of Bordeaux, The Cluster of Excellence, 2015 ($1,200 USD)
Travel Award
National University of Singapore, 2014 ($1,000 SGD)
Extended Graduate Research Scholarship
National University of Singapore, 2014 ($7,400 SGD)
Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)
National University of Singapore, 2010-2014 ($105,000 SGD total)
Senior Book Award in Biology
Boston University, 2007 ($3,500 USD)
Phi Betta Kappa (Early Induction)
Boston Univeristy, Epsilon of Masettchusetts, 2006
Funded Research Opportunities Grant
Boston University, 2007 ($500 USD)
National Science Foundation, Research Experince for Undergraduates (NSF-REU)
Boston University, 2006
Ester Chandler Scholarship
Boston University College of Arts and Sciences, 2004-2007 ($43,450 USD total)
Co-Founder & Organizer
The Zoo-Museum Network (ZooMu)
2020 - Present
Global Women in Herpetology Project
2019 - Present