2026-2028
Diana Macias – Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Berkeley
Diana Macias studies how climate change is reshaping dryland ecosystems and the communities connected to them. Her work examines how standing genetic variation, functional traits and long-term environmental pressures shape the resilience or decline of forest ecosystems. To do this, she integrates long-term monitoring, seed production dynamics and landscape genomics. She also collaborates with Tribal Nations — including Big Pine Paiute, Bishop Paiute and Washoe — and community partners to support Indigenous-led efforts such as woodland health surveys and assessing the nutritional and cultural value of traditional foods. Her projects bring together scientific and community-based research that supports local decision making, strengthens climate resilience and broadens participation in ecology. She received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.
Photo by Andrew Brodhead
Ana Carolina Prado-Valladares – Researcher, Fisheries Institute Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FIPERJ)
Ana Carolina Prado-Valladares’ work focuses on freshwater biodiversity, protected areas, invasive species and gender in small-scale fisheries, integrating ecological research with traditional knowledge and community livelihoods. At FIPERJ, she contributes to public policy and conservation as coordinator of the Biodiversity and Climate Change Working Groups, and as a member and research coordinator of the Women in Fisheries Working Group. She collaborates closely with fisherwomen whose knowledge sustains aquatic ecosystems. As a scientist-mother of two daughters, she is committed to building caring, resilient and inclusive futures for freshwater ecology. She holds a master’s degree in Freshwater Biology and Inland Fisheries from the National Institute of Amazonian Research and a Ph.D. in Ecology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Photo courtesy of Ana Carolina Prado-Valladares
Lis Regula – Adjunct Instructor, Otterbein University
Lis Regula is an interdisciplinary biologist and educator whose work bridges biological research, science education and community engagement. His scholarship centers on understanding transitional spaces, both ecological and social, with an emphasis on inclusive teaching, public science communication and environmental justice. A mentor for underrepresented learners and developer of educational tools that support accessibility and belonging in ecological science, he is committed to diversity and inclusion. Beyond the classroom, Regula is an active voice in public advocacy, translating science for community audiences and contributing to initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and equitable access to science. He received his Ph.D. from Kent State University.
Photo courtesy of Lis Regula
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval – Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval’s research integrates ecology, biogeography and conservation science to understand how climate change, land-use transformation and invasive species reshape biodiversity, community structure and ecosystem resilience across the Caribbean and the Americas. Combining field monitoring, species trait data and theoretical approaches, she investigates the drivers of species distributions and ecological change. Rojas-Sandoval has led major externally funded projects and authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications. She is also deeply committed to mentoring and broadening participation in STEM. She holds an M.S. in Biology from the University of Costa Rica and a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Puerto Rico.
Photo by Sean Flynn/UConn Photo