Team
Students
PhD & Masters
Maria Alejandra Sánchez, PhD. candidate (co-advised with Kathia Broce)
Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Panamanian Marine Biologist, interested in applying high throughput molecular techniques to understand the dynamics of biotic interactions in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. I am especially interested in the settlement of introduced species and the impact of trophic interactions on the development of benthic communities in tropical marine ecosystems.
Helio Quintero, PhD. student (start date: 2026)
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Panamanian marine biologist and STRI fellow. I consider myself a naturalist with a lot of curiosity about the natural world and its interactions. For my research I track the endangered and endemic sharks and rays of the Eastern Tropical Pacific of Panama and Costa Rica, mapping their diversity and distribution using environmental DNA. I am interested in the conservation, ecology and evolutionary history of marine and aquatic organisms and how they relate to each other and to our societies in the context of global changes.
Laura Lardinois, PhD. candidate (co-advised with Rowan Barrett)
McGill University & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am fascinated by the trillions of microbes; including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, that grow on and inside living organisms, forming their microbiome. My research revolves around marine microbiomes and how they – in tandem with their animal hosts – can survive and adapt to both natural and anthropogenic environmental change. My research leverages the seasonal upwelling in the Tropical Eastern Pacific and transisthmian sister species pairs to investigate host-microbiome responses to changing environments across seasonal and evolutionary time scales.
Paige Smallman, PhD. candidate (co-advised with Rowan Barrett)
McGill University & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Canadian marine biologist studying the effects of climate on ocean ecology and evolution. My research focuses on how climate change affects niche versatility in Panamanian reef fishes and the transfer of nutrients from fishes to corals. I aim to enhance our understanding of these understudied species, identifying those most vulnerable to climate change and those more likely to adapt. I am fascinated by the intricate impacts of human activity on ocean ecosystems through fisheries and conservation efforts. Additionally, I am passionate about science communication and committed to sharing knowledge with the public through outreach in museums and aquaria
Tess Morelli, MSc. student (co-advised with Frédéric Guichard)
McGill University & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am interested in how invertebrates impact coral reef ecosystem functioning, and how global change might impact these ecosystems. My master’s research will assess how coral-associated invertebrate communities and coral condition vary between the upwelling Gulf of Panama and the weakly upwelling Gulf of Chiriquí. During my bachelor’s degree at McGill University, I also had the opportunity to study marine invertebrate communities in the context of seagrass meadows (Rimouski, Québec) and rocky intertidal zones (Shoals Marine Laboratory, Maine). I am excited to work at STRI and collaborate with other scientists to study Panama’s unique marine biodiversity.
Matt Doherty, PhD. candidate (co-advised with Richard Preziosi)
University of Plymouth & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a marine biologist specializing in coral ecosystem dynamics, with extensive research experience across the Caribbean, Red Sea, Tropical Pacific, and Western Indian Ocean. As a technical diver, I have primarily focused on mesophotic ecology for the past two years in the Cayman Islands. For my PhD I am gathering and synthesizing large-scale monitoring data to assess regional responses to environmental changes, particularly in the context of the strong ENSO event currently unfolding.
Natasha Hinojosa, PhD. candidate (co-advised with Giacomo Bernardi)
University of California at Santa Cruz & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am fascinated by morphological diversity and its functions; my doctorate looks at reef fish feeding traits and how they adapt in different environments. I am answering my research question in the Republic of Panama by comparing the feeding morphology and digestive physiology in transisthmian reef fish sister species (sister species found on either side of the Isthmus). One of my main goals throughout my scientific career is to promote art and photography as main methods of scientific communication.
Mariana Rivera Higueras, PhD. candidate
University of Texas at Austin & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Ross Robertson pre-doctoral fellow)
My main interests are focused in understand the ecological processes that shape biodiversity. Currently, my research focuses on how habitat specialization and dispersal contribute to the conformation of unique cryptobenthic reef fish communities in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. I combine scientific diving, biostatistics, and genetic populations to disentangle the secrets of coral reefs biodiversity.
Hannah Sima Rempel, PhD. candidate
University of Texas at Austin & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (pre-doctoral fellow)
My current research focuses on how the ecosystem roles of herbivorous fishes vary in response to local-scale human stressors. My work integrates field-based research with lab-based DNA metabarcoding, compound-specific stable isotope analysis, and ecotoxicology approaches. My broader scientific interests are in studying the ecological roles and interactions of marine organisms, how they change in response to human impacts, and how this may alter ecosystem services these organisms provide to coastal communities.
Luisa Meister, MSc. student
Bochum University of Applied Sciences & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
My passion for tropical marine ecosystems brought me to Panama and STRI. For my Master’s research, I am analyzing the community structure of selected coral reefs using eDNA metabarcoding. The aim is to get insights into the diversity patterns of coral reefs across different depths on inshore and offshore coral reefs. I’m interested in monitoring marine ecosystems and the anthropogenic impacts on them and want to combine marine biology and sustainability to support science-based marine protection and management.
Juan Pablo Lozano Peña, PhD. student
University of Texas at Austin & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (NSF DIGEST)
I seek to understand the mechanisms by which animals affect ecosystem processes from a food web perspective. Specifically, I am employing a multi-faceted approach including field-based data, DNA metabarcoding and compound-specific stable isotope analysis to study the ecology of coral reef fishes within the context of gradients created by anthropogenic impacts and environmental change.
Marthe Stein, MSc. student (co-advised with Oscar Puebla)
University of Bremen & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Marine Biology student from Bremen, Germany. My biggest interest is in freshwater and marine fish, their ecology, behavior and systematics. For my master’s thesis at STRI, I am studying a genus of small reef fish, called Hypoplectrus. My goal is to determine whether the ecologically similar species within this genus exhibit any degree of niche separation in their feeding behavior and diet. Therefore, I am looking at their stomach contents and jaw morphology. I also love scuba and free diving, fishing and (underwater) photography.
Lisa Zimmermann, MSc. student (co-advised with Sonia Bejarano)
University of Bremen & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I’m marine biology student from Germany with an interest in marine social science and tropical coastal ecosystems. I’m passionate about science communication through videos and photography, documenting stories behind science. At STRI, I am volunteer for making videos, filming interviews with students and scientists, and showcasing their research.
Jade Hargous, MSc.
Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, Université Perpignan Via Domitia & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
My passion for tropical island environments and biology since childhood led me to choose marine biology as my career path. Feeling concerned about current ecological changes, I want to focus my research on coral reefs, which preservation is a public health and economic issue, particularly in tropical island environments. The aim of my research at STRI is to contribute to the understanding of the impacts of temperature on the outcome of competition between various coral species of the Tropical Eastern Pacific.
Viviane G. Alí Suarez, MSc.
Universidad Austral de Chile
I’m a master’s student in genetics with two main interests: First, the study of tropical marine ecosystem’s diversity through molecular techniques and, second, the study of host – microbe interactions and their impact in evolutionary trajectories. At the symbiosis and resilience lab I have applied eDNA sequencing techniques to study the composition of coral reefs at the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) of Panama specifically looking at corals and elasmobranchs. During my research I have employed DNA barcoding to identify corals, I have designed novel primers specific to Pocillopora species inhabiting panamanian reefs, and I have helped assess the distribution of sharks and rays in the Panama TEP. My aim is to expand existing knowledge about Panama reefs and their unique evolutionary history.
Bachelor
Jorge Reque, BSc. Student
University of California Los Angeles & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (NSF RaMP-UP fellow)
I use eDNA as a tool to inform conservation and management decisions. My research aims to address large scale issues within marine systems through the use of spatial and applied ecology. As a 2024-25 RAMP-UP Fellow, I am working on a shark conservation project that uses eDNA to gather information about these elusive creatures in the Pacific.
Isabela Buxbaum Marinho Guerra, BSc. Student
University of São Paulo, Brazil & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Brazilian oceanography student at the University of São Paulo, with a keen interest in applying the metabarcoding technique to explore biodiversity patterns and support marine conservation. My current research focuses on the development of metabarcoding primers to identify different species of porifera and cnidaria to enhance our understanding of their distribution in coastal islands of Brazil.
Analida Quiel, BSc.
Universidad Latina de Panamá & Isla Secas Foundation & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am an environmental engineering and renewable energies graduate, passionate about Panama’s biodiversity and conserving it. My interests include coral reef dynamics, animal behavior, and ecosystem resilience. In the lab, I am contributing to research on marine microbiomes and their intricate interactions with animal hosts.
Luis E. Bernal R., BSc.
Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Marine Biologist graduated from the International Maritime University of Panama, where with the good results of my thesis, I was able to create the foundation Reef Restoration Panama. I am currently working on creating efficient methodologies for the cultivation, monitoring and restoration of corals in Panama in areas where they are needed in the country. I would like to focus on the area of genetics and conservation of coral reefs.
Kevin Gómez, BSc.
Universidad de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Panamanian marine biologist with a strong interest in understanding and preserving marine ecosystems. My thesis focused on sargassum in Panama’s Caribbean coast, and I have also worked on the analysis and distribution of porcelain crabs. These experiences have broadened my perspective on the complexity and interconnections within marine ecosystems. My primary interest is the conservation and ecology of coral reefs, particularly how they respond to environmental changes over time and how the species they support adapt. I am deeply motivated to pursue a PhD, with the goal of contributing to the protection and sustainability of these crucial ecosystems.
Carlos Murillo, BSc. student
Universidad de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Panamanian undergraduate student in Biology studying fish community diversity patterns along coral reef ecosystems of the Tropical Eastern Pacific of Panama using environmental DNA analyses. I am focused on understanding how fish communities might adapt to seasonal upwelling and non-upwelling natural phenomena and their effects on coral reefs’ resilience.
Rodnyel Arosemena, BSc.
Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Studies in which I have been a part include the resilience of coral reefs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, the distribution and ecology of sharks in Panama, and changes in the trophic level of species separated by the Isthmus of Panama. I am interested in studying how species in reef ecosystems (corals, fish, etc.) adapt and respond to environmental changes.
E. Catalina Rodríguez Guerra, BSc.
Universidad de Cundinamarca & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am especially interested in studying the different environmental stressors that affect corals and their symbiotic algae in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Panamanian Caribbean. Through experiments in controlled environments and ecotoxicological analyses, I seek to understand how corals cope with environmental challenges and anthropogenic stressors. I am also interested in exploring how nutritional supplements (“Superfoods”) can increase the resilience of corals in order to conserve the fragile and valuable coastal ecosystems they form.
Yaliana Chichaco, BSc. student
Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am an undergraduate student and STRI intern studying shark genetics and conservation in the Tropical Eastern Pacific of Panama. I am primarily interested in using molecular tools to understand the population structure of endangered marine species such as sawfishes and tiger sharks. My objective is to conduct research that contributes to the conservation and management of these species by identifying important habitats, migration patterns, and potential threats they may face in the Pacific region of Panama.
Javiera Mora, BSc. student
Universidad de Panamá & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am an undergraduate student and I am studying the diet composition of two pairs of sister species of coral reef fish and the influence of environmental parameters on it, after the rise of the Isthmus of Panama. I am very interested in knowing their dietary plasticity and when I finish my degree I would like to study a PhD related to this topic.
Saul Fernando Rodríguez Salgado, BSc.
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I am a Nicaraguan undergraduate biology student, driven by a deep passion for the natural sciences and desire to learn. My interests center around ecology, species interactions, evolution, and the intricate connections between environments and society. My research in the lab focuses on using environmental DNA (eDNA) to characterize patterns of fish distribution across coral reefs of the Tropical Eastern Pacific in Panama.