Lab Team

Sean is a Staff Scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and an adjunct Professor of Marine Biology at James Cook University, Australia. He is interested in the spatial and temporal dynamics of biodiversity across a broad range of scales, from individual-level processes (behavior, energetics, and biomechanics) that influence demography……

Anabell Cornejo is a Panamanian marine biologist. She joined STRI in 2006 as a Bachelor’s student, when she did her Honors research project in parasitology with Dr. Mark Torchin. She then worked several more years as an intern at STRI before heading to the University of Bremen, Germany, for an……

Migdonio González is an engineer who is now applying mathematical and statistical analysis to ecological data and problems. He is the manager of the Connolly Lab and the lab’s Senior Data Analyst. His main interests include applying and developing statistical methods to analyze ecological data, developing code to solve complicated……

As a conservation paleobiologist, my research focuses on understanding metacommunity dynamics and the factors influencing biodiversity across different spatial and temporal scales. I am particularly intrigued by how these patterns vary with scale, with a primary emphasis on reef ecosystems and the complex roles of corals and sponges. My work……

I joined the Connolly Lab in September 2024 to study coral coexistence.  Generally, I am interested in using integrative approaches to answer long-standing questions in population & community ecology. These include: How do species actually coexist? Why are most species rare? How common are complex population dynamics? As a……

I am a Postdoctoral researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama with a broad interest in coral reef ecology and in particular coral early life history dynamics. I obtained my PhD at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia where I began my journey working in coral……

My research focuses on the effects of environmental change on coral reef ecosystems, with a particular interest in metabolic responses as indicators of physiological performance in corals and related coral reef organisms, employing both in-situ and ex-situ experimental approaches. This understanding is crucial for assessing coral reef functionality and predicting resilience under climate……

I am a Spanish PhD candidate at James Cook University in Australia and pre-doctoral STRI fellow in Panama. I am interested in exploring what drives biodiversity patterns. In my research, I implement process-based models to estimate the drivers of reef fish temporal dynamics. This can be challenging in systems with……

As I embark on my Ph.D. journey at McGill University, my passion as a marine ecologist lies in understanding the ecological mechanisms that drive variations in marine communities across space and time. This knowledge is crucial for addressing critical challenges such as habitat degradation, species interactions, and the resilience of……

I am a geologist working to build a chronostratigraphic framework for Pacific and Caribbean onshore rocks in South and Central America. My research focuses on understanding the timing of geological events that have shaped tropical environments of the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

I’m a biotechnologist from Spain currently living and working in Panama. I’ve been a part of the lab for 1 year. Currently I study the bleaching process and cellular response of corals from both gulfs in Panama through biochemical studies and techniques such as Lipid peroxidation.

I am a researcher dedicated to harnessing computational tools to advance our understanding of the natural world and promote sustainable policies. As a Global Sustainability Scholar RaMP-UP Fellow, I contribute to the Rohr Reef Resilience Project, applying my conservation and data science background to understand the mechanisms that underlie coral……

I recently graduated from UCLA, where I studied marine biology. At the Connolly Lab, I am working with Dr. Carrie Sims on modeling early life stage interactions between corals. Previously, I completed my undergraduate thesis on the role of biological evolution in the persistence of religion and analyzed coral macroborer……

I graduated from Butler University in Indiana, USA, receiving a Bachelor’s in Biology in December 2024. Although I grew up on the subtropical coast of South Carolina, USA, it was not until I moved away that I discovered my passion for marine biology and coral reef ecology. Generally, I am interested……

I’m Naomi, a final-year undergraduate student in Systems and Information and Communication Technologies Engineering at Universidad Panamericana de Guatemala. I’m excited to expand my knowledge in statistics, programming, and computational tools by joining the Connolly Lab and contributing to the Rohr Reef Resilience Project, where I hope to strengthen my skills……

I am Diego Valladares, a 22-year-old Panamanian student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. My passion for the oceans began at a young age, and I have been practicing scuba diving since I was 10. At that time, I also became involved in several marine activism and science clubs. At 16,……

My current research focuses on determining the metabolic and related physiological responses of corals to acute thermal stress in combination with salinity fluctuations. I am also interested in parsing out differences in thermal sensitivity between Pocillopora “species” from across the TEP. I enjoy mentoring students from underrepresented minorities in STEM and leveraging……

Currently I am a marine biologist undergraduate student who is a volunteer in the Connolly lab, I assist with segmentation tasks and work on training an AI tool to differentiate between two Pocillopora species, helping to document changes over time and space in the RRR project. I’m focused on using……

I studied Marine Biology and Limnology at the University of Panama. In 2023, I joined the RRR project as a volunteer, where I developed my undergraduate thesis. During this time, I have gained experience in detecting physiological responses and changes in corals due to environmental variations. In the future, I……

My name is Marianela Camarena. I am a Panamanian biologist, graduated from the Universidad de Panamá with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Biology and Limnology. Currently I am a Fellow at the Connolly Lab, my project is focused on understanding how the physiological performance of Pocillopora spp. from Tropical Eastern Pacific……

I’m an interdisciplinary ecologist currently researching the impacts of coral bleaching in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. I’ve joined STRI as a part of the Global Sustainability Scholars’ RaMP-UP Fellowship. Prior to moving to Panama, I worked in the Amazon on large-scale deforestation prevention, investigated the effects of tourism on communities……

I graduated from Wellesley College in 2023, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies. I am one of the 2023 RaMP-UP Tropical BioDiversity Fellows, a NSF-funded fellowship that brings U.S. post-baccalaureate students to engage in novel tropical research in Panama. Under the mentorship of postdoctoral researcher……

My name is Liza, and I am interested in foundation species in response to changing environments. I am working as an intern looking at coral cover and coral demography over time with the Rohr Reef Resilience Program’s photogrammetry. I will also be continuing my internship in Australia doing scientific diving……

My name is Victoria Marie Glynn and I am a PhD candidate in the Biology: Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) program at McGill University (Montréal, Québec). My research focuses on how host and microbiome response mechanisms together shape organismal responses to climate change. Using a holobiont approach, my work at STRI……