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Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/33f3981a-7608-4f04-a7d2-e9f50c0ed16d/isabellewebsiteimage.png Lab Interns https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/30449cfa-8296-4107-8541-56785a500937/IMG_20240321_183133_edit_230506117247116+-+David+Santamari%CC%81a-Castiblanco.jpg Lab Interns - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/7f73088a-86a4-4f6f-af10-442830053b89/Milani.jpg Lab Interns - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/5138aebc-7919-41c2-aabb-3242cad99132/ValeriaMarquez.JPG Lab Interns - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/story-maps-1 daily 0.75 2025-10-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/0e979a0d-be7f-4a97-84ec-9f2dbac04b89/image.png Story Maps - Rivers Fish and People in the Western Amazon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/48647834-2cc9-4592-a5ca-db2d60262a36/Peru-Securing-Cornerstone-of-Andes-Amazon-Corridor-by-Pronaturaleza-scaled-aspect-ratio-1920-1300.jpg Story Maps - Andean Amazon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/e86d07fb-b5fc-4611-81d0-b8bf03bbaa80/666c832304f877.58026812.jpg Story Maps - Miami: A Flooded Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/18659da6-c901-48f9-9e0e-6542a0d50896/littleriver.jpeg Story Maps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1727801472573-VPSXYK6X56X2W2VGZB3J/15748824474_589b37fc1e_o.jpg Story Maps https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/publications daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/elizabeth-anderson daily 0.75 2019-08-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1497297612348-K9LP64SVZWA6D9307N6X/DSC01421.JPG Elizabeth Anderson https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/new-page-2 daily 0.75 2018-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1516736016329-GOSEO0M3WRV8TRRYKIRX/DSC01367.JPG Flow-Ecology Relationships https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1515348631494-RM266IJYXDS1Z19I78RM/IMG_2955.JPG Flow-Ecology Relationships https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/new-page-3 daily 0.75 2018-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1515348710422-820BV8GEFSV1URVHMVY4/IMG_2752.JPG Human Dependence https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1516736363351-8E788C36P02UN194QTSN/P1000623.JPG Human Dependence https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/ecological-social-consequences daily 0.75 2019-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1515347460007-BVIGTOZ2SQ1SD7UBUG2T/hippos.jpg Ecological & Social Consequences https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1515347602429-TZUGN4AV53BQ0LUL32JN/20151115fish1.jpg Ecological & Social Consequences https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1553707203361-Y7PN4CTFT7VG3FR8T4I6/image-asset.jpeg Ecological & Social Consequences https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/andean-amazon daily 0.75 2019-09-10 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/maps daily 0.75 2019-09-04 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/nadia-seeteram daily 0.75 2025-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1588966593391-48DV390PZZB88UZPOJKA/NS%2Bheadshot%2B%25281%2529.jpg Nadia Seeteram - Nadia Seeteram Nadia Seeteram is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University’s Climate School. Her current research is focused on understanding multi-sectoral policy solutions for reducing climate risks across U.S. housing markets. She received her Ph.D. in Earth Systems Science at Florida International University, where she researched the dynamic, long-term impacts of sea-level rise on coastal communities and their implications for future climate-related migration. Her doctorate research was supported by a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant and by the Volo Foundation. Seeteram graduated from Fordham University in 2012 with a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Psychology and then from Florida International University in 2014 with a M.S. in Environmental Studies. She has held research positions at the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery in New York and at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Exposure Research Lab in Athens, GA. Her previous work focused on monetary valuation of ecosystem services in relation to the restoration of the Florida Everglades. She is currently a co-chair of the ComSciCon Miami franchise and helped organized the first ever ComSciCon in the state of Florida in 2019. Contact: nseeteram@gmail.com | LinkedIn https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/melissa-lau daily 0.75 2020-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1588967132943-I3JBA7BJ07KIG9IV3V33/MelissaLau.png Melissa Lau - Melissa Lau Melissa is pursuing her M.S. at the Earth and Environment Department at FIU under the guidance of Dr. Anderson. She graduated from Miami Dade College with an A.A. in Environmental Studies and from FIU with a B.A. in Sustainability in the Environment. She is exploring the field of Environmental Psychology, which studies the relationship between the natural environment and human behavior as well as how they affect one another. Specifically, she is interested in place attachment and place-based meanings of natural and urban landscapes and how these embodied emotions and attachments influence behavior and overall environmental concern. As an intern in the Tropical Rivers Lab, she worked on a water conservation survey that examined the motivations and obstacles college students living on and off campus go through when it comes to conserving water. Her current work focuses on examining the place-based meanings and attachments of urban riverscapes, specifically the meanings and attachments South Florida residents have regarding the Miami River. With this work, she hopes to place greater emphasis on the psychological aspects of environmental attitudes and perceptions and to integrate these meanings into environmental management policies. Contact: mlau006@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/andrea-otalora daily 0.75 2020-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1588967642992-3A8XMVXH0HVT6A8D7YTX/DSC_4243%2Bcopy.jpg Andrea Otalora - Andrea Otalora Andrea Otalora graduated from Florida International University with a B.S. in Geosciences and a certificate in Biodiversity Conservation and Management. She will be starting a master’s degree in Environmental Studies. She is currently working as a research lab member with Dr. Elizabeth Anderson on a project about introduced peafowl in Coconut Grove. Her tentative thesis will revolve around manatees in the Miami River, their behavior and habitat use, and their interactions with people. She is interested in wildlife conservation, natural resources, and national park management. Contact: aotal003@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/new-page-26 daily 0.75 2020-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1589236025874-IBAWO02EGHLGO6G86BHD/DSC_0771.jpg Adrian Figueroa - Adrian Figueroa Adrian Figueroa is a native Hialeahan who has always had a passion for conservation. stemming from his admiration of Steve Irwin, Jeff Corwin, and Ron Magill. This passion has led him to become fascinated with interspecific interactions and how they shape ecological communities. Of all interaction types, Adrian is fascinated by mutualisms with a particular interest in seed dispersal ecology. For his dissertation research, Adrian is interested in uncovering how animal-mediated seed dispersal and natural disturbances work in relation to one another to influence plant recruitment. His research takes place in the globally imperiled pine rockland ecosystem of South Florida with gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) as the focal seed disperser. Adrian has been involved with many projects in the Tropical Rivers Lab since he was and undergraduate student here at FIU. He's the Tropical Rivers Lab Cuban cafécito connoisseur, making sure his fellow labmates' batteries are always charged. Contact: afigu083@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/lauren-emer daily 0.75 2025-11-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1589243224855-ITYB8AMKAEZ6QFCJE2DW/DSC_0311.jpg Lauren Emer - Lauren Emer Lauren Emer is a PhD candidate exploring the connections between people and their natural environments. The objective of Lauren’s work is to address local and global environmental challenges and improve the operationalization of social-environmental research in dealing with these challenges. Her research combines methodologies from biophysical and social sciences and is currently based in Miami, Florida. She is an active member of the Society for Freshwater Science and a founding member of the Scholar Team for Research, Engagement, and Advancing Minority Voices. Lauren is a recipient of Florida International University's Presidential Fellowship. Contact: Lemer006@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/cynthia-fussel daily 0.75 2020-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1589312739226-S6651GOGMJR3LXS8J48Q/Headshot.jpeg Cynthia Fussell - Cynthia Fussell Cynthia Fussell Persaud is an undergraduate student at Florida International University. Majoring in Sustainability and the Environment, minoring in Environmental Science, and working towards a certificate in Biodiversity Conservation and Management. She has always had an interest in tropical regions and wildlife conservation. Currently she is being mentored under Dr. Elizabeth Anderson and Dr. Christopher Baraloto with the FIU Tropics’ Tropical Conservation Internship Spring 2019 cohort. Her internship project focuses on estimating population sizes and social perceptions of introduced peafowls in the Coconut Grove and neighboring communities of Miami. Cynthia previously held positions such as a swamp-walk tour guide in the Big Cypress National Preserve as well as a Sea Turtle Nest Surveyor for the Miami Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program (MDCSTCP). Through her various experiences, educating others about biodiversity and the environment has become another one of her passions. And today, she is currently working full time as a K-12 Education and Outreach Assistant at the Everglades Foundation. Contact: cfuss002@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/thiago-couto daily 0.75 2020-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1589465183879-ZDOMU4VHRCNGAA724MMC/20190212_145824.jpg Thiago Couto - Thiago Belisario D'Araujo Couto Thiago is a freshwater ecologist and conservationist who is passionate about rivers and tropical fishes. His work addresses scientific questions that have on-the-ground management and conservation implications for freshwater environments. He is currently a postdoctoral associate in the Tropical Rivers Lab, where he is working on varied projects on citizen science and fisheries management in the Amazon Basin, Thiago got his PhD in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington (2020) and his master's degree in Ecology from the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - Brazil (2013). He received several grants and awards throughout his career, which included the Science Without Borders Scholarship (CNPq), the LACA Professional Development Scholarship (Society for Conservation Biology), the Rufford Small Grant (Rufford Foundation) and the Early Career Grant from the National Geographic Society. Contact: tbelisar@fiu.edu | Website https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/elizabeth-martinez daily 0.75 2020-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1589491545438-520R407Q79ZWP60MM1XQ/56DEB916-9884-45D5-AB2B-4F5BCBC61952.jpg Elizabeth Martinez - Elizabeth Martinez Elizabeth Martinez recently graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. At the moment, she is working on estimating current and historical populations of peafowls in Coconut Grove, FL. Under the mentorship of Dr. Elizabeth Anderson and Dr. Christopher Baraloto, she is attempting to create a timeline of peafowl introduction and population trends, and examining social perceptions of peafowls among residents of Coconut Grove. Elizabeth has a strong interest in animal welfare and environmental and wildlife conservation. She will be starting at St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine (Grenada, West Indies) this upcoming August, where she will be focusing on marine wildlife medicine. Fun Fact: Her favorite marine animal is the Leatherback sea turtle and she is anxiously waiting for the moment where she can see one for the first time. Contact: emart389@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/brenna-kays daily 0.75 2023-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1590080206890-Y8DAHUS6Q9MF5GQKE8EL/BKays+Bio+picture.jpg Brenna Kays - Brenna R. Kays Brenna is a Ph.D. candidate with Tropical Rivers Lab at Florida International University. Her research aims to incorporate environmental justice and community based management to enhance social equity, stakeholder support and engagement for urban ecological restoration. She completed her B.A. in Sustainability and the Environment with FIU in 2015 with a minor in Biology, while working with the Dominican American National Foundation and the Children's Trust to develop youth development programs for low-income Latine communities of Allapattah, FL. After participating in the Tropical Conservation Institute's undergraduate internship program, she continued her network analysis research on conservation organizations in South Florida and the Amazon as the Tropical Rivers Lab manager. An environmental educator with over 10 years of experience, she has worked as a graduate research assistant with the education teams at the Deering Estate and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden to develop and facilitate K-12 Environmental Education programming. She has served on the organizing committee for ComSciCon Miami 2019 and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity student group of the Society for Freshwater Sciences and organized a special session and symposium for SFS 2019 and ATBC 2020, respectively. Contact: bkays@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/aldo-farah daily 0.75 2020-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1590080432439-8LS6QMXGUEKYG156ENSI/aldo%2Bfoto%2B4%2Bsite%2B.new.jpg Aldo Farah - Aldo Farah Aldo Farah is an M.S. student whose current research focuses on the relationships between river flow and the response of freshwater fishes in the Amazon. He is also interested in exploring how these relationships could be at risk due to factors affecting the natural flow regimes of rivers. For his research, Aldo is planning on looking into the reproductive behavior of the Pimelodidae catfishes and the habitat use by the “boquichico”, Prochilodus nigricans, in a small Andean- Amazonian valley. He is also part of a multidisciplinary grad-student group looking into how the agricultural frontiers are interacting with different protected areas along the Amazon basin. In the past, he has worked on the mechanisms behind the river fragmentation process caused by different types of dams in Costa Rica. Contact: afara017@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/daniela-daniele daily 0.75 2022-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1590590955475-304ZVW311G7YK30D2FU1/daniela_d+lab+pic.jpg Daniela Daniele - Daniela Brigitte Daniele Daniela Daniele was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and came to the United States when she was seven years old. Daniela earned her Associate’s in Arts from Miami Dade’s Honor College in Environmental Science in 2014. She then attended the University of Florida’s School of Natural Resource and Environment and graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in 2016. Upon graduation, she proceeded to work with Miami Dade College’s Earth Ethics Institute and Friends of the Everglades in addition to interning in Dr. Elizabeth Anderson’s Tropical Rivers Lab. Daniela then joined the University of Florida’s Soil and Water Science Department as a research assistant for Dr. AJ Reisinger’s Urban Ecology Lab. The research, in collaboration with Alachua County’s Environmental Protection Department, focused on groundwater leaching in urban homes. Daniela received her M.S. at Florida International University in Environmental Studies with a certificate in Water, Environment, and Development Studies. Her work was funded by the National Science Foundation’s Center of Research and Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST CAChE) at FIU. As a part of Dr. Anderson’s lab, her research focuses on the Miami River’s socio-ecological history in terms of river connectivity, river debris in the modern era, and bridging historical water quality data to current conditions of the river. Contact: ddani025@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/andrea-buitrago daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/6cefb14d-f103-4e80-9650-e75e3fb5f2d3/Andrea_Buitrago.jpg Andrea Buitrago - Andrea Buitrago Andrea is Colombian, born in Bogotá, and has been living in the Amazon region for five years. She earned her degree in Anthropology at the National University of Colombia and completed her master's degree in Education at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. She has worked for over 14 years in the formulation, development, and evaluation of processes to strengthen community development alternatives and social organization in different regions of Colombia. She also works on the articulation, design, and implementation of collaborative work between universities and rural communities (especially peasants and Indigenous people). This work has focused on developing co-responsible, respectful, and mutually beneficial academic-community processes. She joined the Tropical Rivers Lab through the Amazon Riverscapes project in January 2023 as a local coordinator in Colombia. She carried out the stakeholder mapping exercise and facilitated the subsequent dialogue and co-creation of initiatives to strengthen local conservation processes in three strategic ecosystems along the main channel of the Colombian Amazon River. Currently, she supports the development of these initiatives by strengthening the social networks that sustain them, favoring the participatory environmental governance component in the project's implementation. Additionally, she has been documenting the memory, knowledge, and good practices of these community conservation experiences of aquatic ecosystems in the Colombian Amazon, fostering self-reflection, projection, and exchange of experiences among the connected initiatives. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/roman-evarist daily 0.75 2020-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1590603526031-8YXY14F34M7VG4IRFDM6/Roman+Evarist.png Roman Evarist - Roman Evarist Roman is our lab's man in the field in Tanzania. Hailing from the lower Mara River Basin, he's our expert on low cost monitoring techinies, field solutions and water resource management. Contact: romanevaristorg@gmail.com https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/natalia-piland daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1590604201768-68CUPOJ6B6314S3VZLJ2/nati3.jpg Natalia Piland - Natalia Piland Research Interests: public participation in scientific research and conservation in the tropics, human perspectives of non-human nature, and transdisciplinary collaboration. Background: I am a postdoctoral researcher at American University and a courtesy research associate in the Tropical Rivers Lab. In the past, I worked with the U.S. Forest Service's Stewardship Mapping Project, was the Interdisciplinary Scientist for the NY Cities Team at The Nature Conservancy, and was a postdoctoral scholar at the Tropical Rivers Lab in Florida International University where I worked on various dimensions of human-nature relationships in the Amazon and in Miami. My doctoral research focused on avian diversity change along urban-rural gradients in Latin America (advised by Dr. John Bates at the Field Museum of Natural History/University of Chicago). As an urban ecologist, I am also deeply interested in the ways in which humans interact with nature and the ways in which scientists interact with society. One of my fundamental convictions is that science has an objective, and thus is not neutral, and this motivated my involvement in our labor union during grad school, Graduate Students United, and other organizing spaces. I have lived in multiple cities in the United States and in Perú, and my free time is consumed by dabbling in new hobbies, Pokémon Go, and guilt-less lounging with my partner and my cat, Catulus. Contact: npiland@gmail.com https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/fiorella-briceno daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/551111af-ea04-46d9-a6ad-e8aff071632f/image001.jpg Fiorella Briceño - Fiorella Briceño Fiorella Briceño is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Amazon Riverscapes Initiative within the Tropical Rivers Lab at Florida International University, where she leads conservation efforts and research on freshwater ecosystems in Peru. Her work includes stakeholder mapping, rapid assessments of riverine communities' perceptions of the 2023 low water event, and an analysis of large catfish fisheries in the Amazon. Fiorella is an interdisciplinary conservation scientist from Peru who has dedicated her career to addressing socio-ecological challenges in the Peruvian Amazon. She has extensive experience in developing, managing, and contributing to a diverse portfolio of interdisciplinary research projects focused on conserving species, habitats, landscapes, and ancestral lands. Fiorella holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the Universidad Ricardo Palma in Peru and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University in the United States. Her doctoral research focused on wild meat consumption in Iquitos, one of the most populated Amazonian cities, exploring its relationship with economic stability, food security, and species conservation. She is committed to creating a more equitable, inclusive, and racially diverse environmental movement. Fiorella is passionate about developing scientific knowledge, translating and communicating science to the public, and advocating for the protection of biodiversity and local communities in the Amazon rainforest. Contact: fbriceno@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/publicationsamazon-riverscapes daily 0.75 2025-09-02 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/publications-east-african-waters daily 0.75 2024-03-21 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/stephannie-fernandes daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/5f715643-b49f-482d-910b-3c2b2fdbbb25/WhatsApp+Image+2024-09-26+at+1.02.40+PM.jpeg Stephannie Fernandes - Stephannie Fernandes As a former lawyer in Brazil, Stephannie is excited to share her passion for protecting rivers by joining the Tropical Rivers Lab at FIU. Her research employs a mixed-methods approach to assess the political ecology of freshwater resources. She is particularly interested in examining the social-ecological dynamics of the Amazon Basin and analyzing different strategies for implementing and improving public policies aimed at safeguarding freshwater ecosystems and associated biodiversity. Before coming to FIU, Stephannie did her MSc in Environmental Science and Policy at Northern Arizona University. Her background has enabled her to collaborate on projects focused on protecting the Xingu Indigenous Territories and to publish scientific papers addressing different aspects of river conservation. Currently, her PhD research centers on two areas: evaluating policies and opportunities for the protection of migratory fish in the Amazon Basin and assessing the policy mismatch in environmental flows framework and its applications. This approach aims to bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical implementation, potentially leading to more effective conservation strategies for the Amazon and other river basins around the world. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/erin-abernethy daily 0.75 2020-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1594053213441-96XO9WJPOPR01CDY8AX3/Erin1.jpg Erin Abernethy - Erin Foster Abernethy Erin is an ecologist by training and is passionate about conservation, social justice, labor and the intersection of all three. Erin will be joining the Tropical Rivers Lab as a postdoctoral associate in January 2021. She is from the Southeastern USA, but is coming to Florida from Oregon where she is completing her PhD at Oregon State University. Her doctoral research focused on how anthropogenic structures—specifically dams—alter the dynamics of aquatic invertebrate communities in the Colorado River Basin. Specifically, she elucidated how flow alterations facilitated dominance within communities and mediated the attenuation of dam effects as distance from the dam increased. Her postdoctoral research in Florida will examine how race and gender influence environmental flows and experimentally test how to broaden participation in water conservation agencies. Erin and her dog River Monster are excited to join the Tropical Rivers Lab and the South Florida community! Contact: efabernethy@gmail.com | Website https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/lulu-lacy daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1595873801424-11D1CG5AOMGCSUZGNDVQ/LuluLacy.jpeg LuLu Lacy - LuLu Lacy LuLu recently completed their PhD with the Tropical Rivers Lab in 2025. They have studied many aquatic and marine ecosystems in the Southeastern US and Latin America, and have a strong interest in tropical fisheries, fish migration, and deconstructing our post-colonial relationship with waterways. Lulu’s graduate research examined Amazon fish migration as a social, cultural, and ecological process. In this research, Lulu used a co-production approach and visual methodologies to understand the seasonality of fish migrations, with a focus on the Lagos de Yahuarcaca in the Colombian Amazon. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/tania-romero daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/1598975528954-LTBRKUJMMOAUUIV1ANWA/TaniaRomero.jpg Tania Romero - Tania Romero Bautista Research Interests: Community-Based Conservation, Freshwater Governance, Environmental Justice Background: Tania is currently pursuing her PhD in the Tropical Rivers Lab at Florida International University. She is passionate about supporting Amazonian communities in their journey toward sustainability and self-sufficiency. Tania was born and raised in Madre de Dios, Peru, where she began her path into community-based conservation. Tania is the recipient of the 2020 Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Graduate Scholarship and is conducting her PhD research project in collaboration with WCS Peru initiatives like Amazon Waters and Citizen Science. Tania's current research interests focus on making conservation and sustainable development strategies more accessible to rural Amazonian communities and guiding policymakers in how to design and implement more comprehensive, integrative regulations for community-based freshwater management. Tania earned her master's degree in Sustainable Development Practice from the University of Florida in 2018 and her bachelor’s degree in Ecotourism from the National Amazonian University of Madre de Dios in 2012. Tania has also received numerous grants and awards during her professional and academic career, including The AAUW International Fellowship (2022), The Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) Scholarship (2021), the Wild Forests and Fauna Research Grant (2017), Tropical Conservation and Development Grant (2017), and Fulbright Graduate Fellowship (2016). Contact: trome013@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/marta-lujan daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/158c1f80-34c1-460d-9e0f-65e04c6d4be2/Marta_Lujan.jpeg Marta Lujan - Marta Lujan Research Interests/Current Projects: Freshwater conservation, territorial governance in traditional communities, traditional peoples of the Amazon Marta is a local consultant in Tabatinga, Amazonas, in the Amazonian trapezoid region, where Brazil, Peru, and Colombia meet. She is currently involved in a collaborative initiative that explores the socio-ecological dynamics of interconnected freshwater ecosystems, with the goal of protecting a biocultural transboundary river landscape, encompassing rivers, streams, and igapó forests. Of Indigenous origin and belonging to the Kokama ethnicity, Marta has always had a strong connection to the countryside and traditional Amazonian communities. Her journey began in the Madeira River Valley, in Amazonas, during her undergraduate studies in Environmental Engineering. She deepened her involvement with traditional peoples during her master’s in Society and Culture in the Amazon at the Federal University of Amazonas. This academic and professional path has allowed Marta to strengthen her commitment to conserving natural resources and ensuring the sustainability of socio-environmental systems, in synergy with traditional knowledge. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/michael-borbolla daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/5b45e116-cd45-4938-8b25-7ea2b8034777/Screen+Shot+2021-10-18+at+9.28.01+PM.png Michael Borbolla - Michael Borbolla Fields of Interest: Aquatic Resource Management, Social Ecological Systems, Conservation, Environmental Justice, Urban Ecology Current Projects: - Interdisciplinary study on introduced peafowl in South Florida, USA - Ethnographic Study on Urban Fishing in the Miami River (FL, USA) - Long-Term Analysis of Angler Satisfaction in Biscayne National Park (FL, USA) - Social-Economic Analysis of Whaling and Whale-Watching in St. Vincent - Mixed-Method Evaluation of Whaling’s Importance to St. Vincent Background: Michael Borbolla, a Cuban ecologist from Miami, is a Ph.D. candidate in the Earth Systems Science program at Florida International University. Under the guidance of Dr. Elizabeth Anderson in the Tropical Rivers Lab, his dissertation research focuses on the management of aquatic resources in south Florida and the Caribbean. Michael is affiliated with FIU's CREST Center, and contributes towards their ecosystem level assessment focus area. Beyond academic positions, Michael is an Emerge Fellow for the Society for Freshwater Science, where he works to amplify the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in freshwater scientific endeavors. In his undergraduate years, Michael explored of the impact of mercury on juvenile bull sharks within the Florida coastal everglades. His commitment to environmental research led him to other collaborations and projects with the National Park Service, where he carried out extensive fieldwork in areas like Biscayne National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. At Zoo Miami, Michael delved into the study of invertebrate communities within gopher tortoise habitats and burrows. By leveraging the diverse ecosystems of South Florida throughout his research experiences, Michael has cultivated a versatile skillset that positions him uniquely in the realm of ecological studies, priming him for multifaceted contributions in his current and future endeavors. Contact: mborb005@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/nataniel-marin daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/fada3409-6ab1-4069-9b05-24969357e002/Nataniel_Marin.jpeg Nataniel Marin - Nataniel Marin Nataniel Marin is a Biologist who graduated from the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM). He is a researcher at the Socio-Environmental Studies Center of the Amazon (NESAM) and the Research Group on Entrepreneurship, Management, and Value Networks in the Amazon (GPVALORA), focusing on socio-environmental sustainability in the Amazon. Currently, he serves as a Local Coordinator for Florida International University (FIU) in the Amazon Riverscapes initiative (Brazil, Colombia, and Peru) and as an Adjunct Biology Professor at UFAM. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/juan-sebastian-lozano daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/06a2f44e-d183-4e7c-88e9-626b661a9b6a/Juan+Lozano_face.jpg Juan Sebastian Lozano - Juan Sebastian Lozano Research Interests/Current Projects: Juan Sebastian Lozano is interested in spatial analysis and modeling, as well as in ecosystem services analysis. He is currently participating in an academic training with The Nature Conservancy, engaging with local leads in Watershed Investment Programs to implement Nature-based Solutions. Background: Juan Sebastian Lozano is a Colombian ecologist, with a focus in GIS and modelling. He obtained a Master's degree in Environmental Monitoring and Modelling from King's College London. His professional journey spans over 12 years, during which he collaborated extensively with international NGOs, focusing on pivotal issues related to water access and conservation across Latin America. Throughout his career, he has been deeply involved in projects that center on mapping and pinpointing crucial areas for conservation, through integrating hydrological studies with biodiversity objectives. He coordinated projects on water stewardship, particularly in collaboration with large-scale bottling companies in the private sector. Moreover, he took the lead on an initiative aimed at recognizing opportunities to amplify the operational capacity of existing hydropower facilities. The primary motivation behind this was to mitigate the need for constructing new facilities. In 2020, keen on a deeper academic focus, he was honored with a Fulbright Scholarship and joined Florida International University (FIU). Contact: jloza048@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/publicationssouth-florida-ecosystems daily 0.75 2024-03-21 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/gabrielle-gray-case daily 0.75 2023-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/baeb9272-3e0c-488c-bb3a-4074bee33518/Gabbi.png Gabrielle Gray-Case - Gabrielle Gray-Case Interests/Current Projects: I am interested in interdisciplinary research that explores the relationships between language, ecology, and human behavior. My thesis aims to explore the interconnections between language and ecology within the Amazon region and demonstrate how learning and understanding the intricacies of languages can contribute to biocultural conservation. With my work, I also aim to demonstrate the reciprocal impact nature has on culture, communication, and human-nature wellbeing. Background: Graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s in biology and linguistics and a minor in anthropology. Currently pursuing a Master's in Environmental Studies and working as a graduate research assistant. Contact: ggray008@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/soflosustainableenvironmentsinternship daily 0.75 2025-11-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/c3c8f67b-6e01-43cc-b604-b29980295e76/IMG_3104.jpeg SoFlo Sustainable Environments Internship - South Florida Sustainable Environments Internship https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/ourteam daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/74eebc76-5ab3-4333-b226-27a622284edf/Screen+Shot+2021-10-18+at+9.28.01+PM.jpg Team https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/189a8824-4a2b-47a4-875d-5435910f7030/LuluLacy.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/4e033de2-955b-410e-8b51-fb14543d810d/IMG_20240321_183133_edit_230506117247116+-+David+Santamari%CC%81a-Castiblanco.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/24e96d0b-ad17-4f0f-b119-536b1480aa3f/juanwebsiteimage.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/f97e2f79-4105-4712-8933-b8d3ee81048a/alexandrewebsiteimage.png Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/e18987bd-cd12-4539-b1db-0c3828e79073/image001.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/ff359286-7fc6-401c-9841-078739ad5072/TaniaRomero.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/981759c4-c1ee-40e4-ad50-48118af9c64b/EAnderson_photo_reduced.jpg Team https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/d7bc60b2-bfe8-4873-a64f-e1af4c940b2e/daviawebsiteimage.png Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/c68b74f8-0d65-4da2-9b39-4cb9501b7cba/Marta_Lujan.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/817af488-f46e-421a-b1fe-0181209f6fd1/nati3.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/620e99f9-1468-426d-9642-048d41f2f5db/Andrea_Buitrago.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/cbb0a884-4118-4000-af59-2d237e0c4329/WhatsApp+Image+2024-09-26+at+1.02.40+PM.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/d3474f5f-4421-4250-9d19-21f8b2b3214b/Nataniel_Marin.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/f6ec6656-e9f7-4b20-aac7-ef2917f8df3b/Screen+Shot+2023-10-03+at+11.13.10+AM.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/c9436cbb-0d38-4271-82e2-40e1546e874e/image-asset.jpg Team https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/7d5f8ef4-602d-42a1-bf0b-8ac40e509e48/Runway+2023-09-29T12_31_39.685Z+Expand+Image.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/cff10f18-234a-48b0-b4a8-9078798e277e/aaliyahwebsiteimage.jpg Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/julianalaufer daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/a52718d7-061f-47df-b374-22310c910b1b/JLaufer+-+Juliana+Laufer.jpg Juliana Laufer - Juliana Laufer Research Interests/Current Projects: Juliana is a postdoctoral researcher on the Amazon Riverscapes initiative. This initiative aims to advance protection of a transboundary biocultural riverscape (e.g., rivers, wetlands, and linked forest ecosystems) along the triple frontier of Peru, Brazil and Colombia. Background: Juliana has been working with social-ecological influences on tropical conservation for the last 20 years. She has broad interests and experiences in developing, managing, and coordinating collaborative research and social extension projects in the Amazon and other regions. Juliana’s research has addressed issues related to freshwater and forest ecology, traditional knowledge, and resource management, as well as anthropogenic pressures affecting the conservation of ecosystems and livelihoods of peoples. Contact: jlaufer@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/david-santamaria-castiblanco daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/30449cfa-8296-4107-8541-56785a500937/IMG_20240321_183133_edit_230506117247116+-+David+Santamari%CC%81a-Castiblanco.jpg David Santamaria-Castiblanco - David Santamaria-Castiblanco Research Interests/Current Projects: I am a Colombian biologist and ecologist whose greatest passion lies in the conservation of biodiversity and the application of this knowledge in the development of initiatives at a social level, protection and recovery of species in tropical ecosystems, and impacts of alien species. For this purpose, I have two research interests. First, mammal population and community dynamics in natural and anthropogenic-transformed scenarios (including alien species). Secondly, the relationships between society and biodiversity and the perceptions that arise from these interactions. Currently, I am working on the social perceptions of the hippos in Colombia and the role of these animals in the Colombian freshwater ecosystems as ecosystem engineers and alien species. Background: During my undergrad studies, I led the Research Group on Management and Conservation of the Wildlife of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, working on mammal ecology related to restoration processes, biology conservation courses, and dissemination of science at universities and schools. After my undergrad studies, I worked with private companies and global international foundations, like Panthera, to monitor mammals and their threats (habitat destruction, fragmentation and degradation, introduced/invasive species, and overexploitation) inside and around agricultural systems. In these jobs, I focused the research on science dissemination strategies and the development of mammal monitoring and management plans. In the same way, I worked for the Colombian government researching the introduced hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius), which gave me new research perspectives to pursue the Ph.D. program at FIU with the support of the CASE Dean’s Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship (2023). Contact: dsant202@fiu.edu https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/socialmedia daily 0.75 2025-08-27 https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/juan-cruz daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/b50c10c4-a013-491c-93e1-22040660bf5d/juanwebsiteimage.jpg Juan Cruz - Juan Cruz Juan Cruz is an FIU alumnus with a degree in Anthropology. He works on the qualitative data side of most of the research in the Tropical Rivers Lab. He is a member of the American Anthropological Association and does multidisciplinary work, bridging sociology, anthropology and ecology. Juan is working on developing as an archaeologist and has been admitted to a 2026 Archeological Field School. He hopes to apply for a graduate degree in Archaeology in the coming years. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/alexandre-peressin daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/b4f7834c-1af3-4151-b175-69bed4cd5e37/alexandrewebsiteimage.png Alexandre Peressin - Alexandre Peressin Alexandre Peressin has a PhD in Applied Ecology, with a thesis focused on fish migrations and the effects of biotelemetry tagging on fishes. Currently, he is a postdoctoral researcher investigating the impacts of connectivity loss caused by irrigation dams and road crossings on fish assemblages using environmental DNA. His professional background includes research in fish ecology, as well as conducting diagnostics for environmental licensing, certification processes, and ecological mitigation strategies - particularly those related to hydropower plants - across several river basins in Brazil. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/aaliyah-saintil daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/cff10f18-234a-48b0-b4a8-9078798e277e/aaliyahwebsiteimage.jpg Aaliyah Saintil - Aaliyah Saintil Research Interests: Environmental Science, Sustainable Technology, Mechanical Engineering Background: Aaliyah is a third year undergraduate double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Natural & Applied Sciences at Florida International University. They are currently an intern with the Tropical Rivers Lab studying occurrences of noise, light, and nutrient pollution along the Miami Little River with Lauren Emer as their mentor. Their goal is to create a map noting areas of co-occurring pollutants in hopes that it may be helpful to future researchers. Aaliyah seeks to blend their Mechanical Engineering background with their passion for environmental sustainability to aid in the development of green technology. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/davia-anthony daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/520c9ac9-2b62-4194-ad93-4dd880c996dc/daviawebsiteimage.png Davia Anthony - Davia Anthony Davia Anthony is a recent FIU graduate with a degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Natural Resource Science and a minor in Biology at Florida International University. As an intern in the Tropical Rivers Lab, she focuses on expanding her knowledge on freshwater and marine ecosystems by contributing to research on changes in lake dynamics in the Amazonian River floodplains using GIS and supporting datasets, as well as assisting PhD students with research and data analysis. Her academic and professional interests center on environmental health, particularly mitigating pollution and addressing climate change. Outside of academics, Davia enjoys traveling and exploring new places, which deepens her appreciation for diverse environments and ecosystems. https://www.tropicalriverslab.net/veronica-ochoa daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591a826b17bffcb271286181/031fa378-c998-4546-b406-8fc91f6b22b6/Fotograf%C3%ADa_Ver%C3%B3nicaOchoa.png Veronica Ochoa - Verónica Ochoa Peña Veronica obtained her undergraduate degree in Forestry from the National University of Colombia. Her work focuses on environmental management, territorial planning, and the strengthening of community processes from a social-ecological approach. She has participated in projects involving multi-temporal analysis of land cover, social mapping, and sustainable management of Amazonian ecosystems, integrating technical tools with participatory methodologies. She is interested in understanding the relationships between communities and the territories they inhabit, promoting forms of environmental management that recognize the value of local knowledge and the conservation of biodiversity. Veronica currently works with FIU’s Tropical Rivers Lab as a field coordinator for the Amazon Riverscapes Initiative.