Graduate Students
Luis E Velazquez Roman
Master Student in Biology Department at UPR-RP
My research focus is on the effect of an urban gradient on bird biodiversity. Specifically, my current research project is focused on examining how Hurricane Maria affected bird communities in areas with different vegetation cover in the San Juan Metropolitan Area.
Contact: luis.velazquez11@upr.edu
Digna M. Rivera Reyes
PhD Candidate student in Environmental Science at UPR-RP
My research interest is the social-ecological dynamic of plant biodiversity in urban yards. The main goal of my research is to determine the socio-economic and demographic drivers of vegetation variation in residential yards. My study site will be two neighborhoods in Orlando City, which are very different in their socio-economic and demographic characteristics.
Contact: riveradigna.555@gmail.com
Kidany Sellés
PhD Candidate student in Biology Department at UPR-RP
With my research project I evaluate how different social factors influence the benefits that urban soils provide us. One my goals is to raise awareness about soils, focusing on soils that have been highly altered by construction processes, like residential soils.
Contact: l.kidany@gmail.com
Sonia Barba Herrera
PhD student - Biology Department at UPR-RP
I research the biodiversity of plants and pollinators in community gardens. Likewise, I am interested in evaluating the relationship between the cultural profiles of the people involved in the gardens and their relationship with the biodiversity in those spaces.
Contact: sonia.barba@upr.edu
Stephanie Feliciano Cardona, MS
PhD student in Environmental Sciences Department at UPR-RP
I reserach how thermal stress affects floral fragrance, flowering phenology of plants and how these changes alter the scent signals to pollinators. I also investigate how these plant changes alter the capability of pollinators to identify resources and memory mechanisms.
Contact: stephanie.feliciano2@upr.edu
Evelyn Baez Colon
PhD Candidate in Environmental Sciences at UPR-RP
My doctoral thesis project is titled "Production of biogas and biofertilizer using anaerobic reactors (bio-digesters) with animal manure for small scale farmers". I research the development of biodigesters as part of a sustainable model, looking for the feasibility levels for the implementation of small-scale anaerobic reactors in Puerto Rico.
Contact: evelyn.baez@upr.edu
Molly Ramsey
I am interested in citizen knowledge and engagement around flood management. Using interviews, citizen flood mapping, and the analysis of knowledge systems and governance. I'm exploring the challenges and potential opportunities for citizen participation in nature-based flood management in the tropical, riverine city of San Juan, Puerto Rico.Rayza Hernandez
Master Student in Environmental Sciences Department at UPR-RP
In my research project I collaborate with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment to collect demographic, habitat and climatological data to evaluate the dynamics of L. eltoroensis populations and re-valuate their current status and make recommendations towards their recovery.
Contact: rayza.hernandez@upr.edu
Josele Rosas Nava
PhD Student in Environmental Sciences Department at UPR-RP
My research is based on the analysis of various databases to check discrepancies and similarities in the study of dust events as well as the analysis of weather forecast models coupled with atmospheric chemistry. The forecast of these intensive dust events helps to make early decisions in order to decrease their impact on public health. Satellite data, such as VIIRS, MODIS and CALIOP, was analyzed together with ground-based measurements realized by instruments and laboratories. In addition, dust forecast models such as GEOS-5 and WRF-Chem were added to the study and we are working to improve their outputs. This project is part of the Caribbean Air-quality Alert and Management Assistance System-Public Health (CALIMA-PH) work group 2 (a NASA-ROSES project) under the leadership of Dr. Olga Mayol-Bracero and Dr. Elvia Melendez-Ackerman.
Contact: josele.rosas@upr.edu