2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Washington State University
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Claudia's love for wildlife has always run deep. She has decided that the best way to show her love was to dedicate her life to those entities that continue to fight a rapidly changing environment. Through conservation and genetic manipulation, she hopes to discover the adaptive traits that help wildlife thrive. While simultaneously working towards her goal of rehabilitating endangered species and discovering new conservation methods that can help them thrive.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Environmental Science

Owen is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a passion for ecological research and animal behavior. Throughout his undergraduate career, he contributed to projects studying Eastern Box Turtles, Madagascar frogs, Mountain Yellow-legged frogs, and Tonlé Sap watersnakes. Using the skills he developed from these experiences, he will now work to uncover the mysteries of wolf spider communication at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panamá.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Puerto Rico Humacao
Wildlife Management

Inspired by the interconnectedness between flora, fauna, and human populations, Valeria seeks to find solutions to conservation problems through ecology research. She looks forward to doing meaningful work in the field as well as in community outreach to benefit wildlife conservation in the Tropics.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Microbiology

Armando’s upbringing within the stunningly diverse ecosystem of Puerto Rico instilled a curiosity for the natural world and a desire to understand the intricate relationships between us, the organisms and their environments. After contributing to the LTER tree census project in El Yunque National Forest, he is now keen to delve into Panama's tropical forests to explore the dynamics between fungi and trees and, ultimately, to better understand how to improve and protect the health of our forests.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of California Irvine
Environmental Science and Policy

Inspired by undergraduate research in California deserts, James is driven to pursue carbon mitigation and climate adaptation through both scientific research and community organizing. By studying mangroves and their carbon consumption, James hopes to better understand the nature of using blue carbon as a carbon sequestration method and protecting vulnerable ecosystems.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Puerto Rico
Biology

Growing up in the island of Puerto Rico, Arnaldo is interested in learning how the coastal communities develop resilience against rising sea levels and climate change using natural solutions. 

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of California Los Angeles
Biology

Recently graduating from UCLA, Sugey is dedicated to advancing her understanding of population dynamics and how they are influenced by external factors. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research on the impact of a dredging event in the Port of Los Angeles on eelgrass community composition. Building on this foundation, Sugey is now focused on exploring the intricate dynamics of tropical tree populations affected by fungi through her involvement with the RaMP-UP Fellowship.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Florida State University
Biology

Carlos is a first-generation college graduate with a deep passion for marine biology and community outreach. Born in Panama, their early exposure to nature fostered a lifelong commitment to environmental preservation and education. At FSU, they played an active role in the Marine Biology Honors group, where they engaged in research and developed skills in scientific communication, critical thinking and problem solving. Their experiences have provided valuable skills in leadership and mentorship which he plans to apply towards promoting conservation.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Guam
Integrative Biology

Born and raised in the Pacific, Heather’s passion lies in tropical wildlife conservation and ecological work. Just as the ocean waters bridge islands together, she aims to continuously connect with others who feel as strongly as she does, and work to change the field of conservation for the better.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Emory University
Human Biology and Anthropology

Ruth aspires to cultivate her ecological research skills with a focus on reforestation. Her passion lies in tackling the challenges of reforestation and mitigating food insecurity, all the while championing sustainable food systems and the principles of regenerative agriculture. Her ultimate goal is to enhance the health and overall well-being of rural communities that bear the brunt of the climate crisis's impact.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of California Santa Barbara
Environmental Studies

Driven by a passion for environmental conservation, Richie is committed to harnessing computational tools to advance our understanding of the natural world. Richie previously worked with the Smithsonian Data Science Lab, where he utilized artificial intelligence to monitor spotted skunks. This upcoming year, he will be working on the Coral Reef Resilience project. They aim to understand the mechanisms behind coral reef resilience by analyzing and interpreting coral reef photo mosaics using a combination of artificial intelligence and other analytical approaches.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Wellesley College
Environmental Studies

Kyaralind is passionate about developing research skills in analyzing climate change impacts in marine ecosystems. As an aspiring marine conservation biologist, Kyaralind hopes to build adaptive solutions in addressing major challenges to ocean protection and to engage underserved, disproportionately impacted communities in her research.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Puerto Rico
Crop Protection

Concerned about the food security crisis on the island of Puerto Rico as it relates to climate change and political instability, she looks forward to learning about forest dynamics to draw design principles for agroecological forestry systems to strengthen and diversify the resource, cultural, and economic services of the landscapes for social welfare.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Scripps College
Environmental Analysis

During her undergraduate studies, Dafina engaged in fieldwork in Costa Rica and Panama, where she delved into sustainable development and marine ecology. Building on this foundation, her most recent work focused on analyzing the relationship between Afro-descendant coastal communities in the United States and oysters. She now aims to support community and Indigenous-led aquaculture projects. These experiences have deepened Dafina’s commitment to community-led environmental stewardship and restoration with a focus on justice.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Iowa State University
Animal Ecology

Paola thrives in interdisciplinary environments and has a passion for doing meaningful work. She leverages her varied experiences in Conservation in order to address climate change and promote Sustainability.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

The University of Chicago
Biology; Gender and Sexuality Studies

A recent graduate of the University of Chicago, Cristian is continuing his education in the biological sciences through the RaMP-UP fellowship. Having studied migratory behavior in monarch butterflies for his undergraduate thesis, Cristian will continue to follow his interests in animal behavior and entomology by researching the interactions between ants and swollen-thorn acacias.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Wheaton College
Environmental Science

Mia is interested in the intersections of pollinator biology and reforestation. Additionally, she is seeking to better understand the socio-economic factors that impact the people within reforested communities. 

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Biology

Driven by the idea of ecologically friendly solutions to human-environment interaction, Lauren studies the evolution of animal behavior in order to understand what factors most negatively affect species diversity and habitat loss across multiple ecosystems. Aware of the power held by a greater variety of voices, she is also passionate about diversifying the natural science field through outreach and involvement with underrepresented groups. 

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of California Los Angeles
Environmental Science

Jorge is a passionate marine scientist who uses eDNA as a tool to inform conservation and management decisions. He aims to address large scale issues within marine systems through the use of spatial and applied ecology. As a 2024-25 RAMP-UP Fellow, he will be working on a Shark conservation project that uses eDNA to gather information about these elusive creatures.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

University of California Los Angeles
Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution

Samuel is interested in trophic ecology, particularly in coastal ecosystems and the strategies organisms employ to meet their energy needs. He aspires to expand our understanding of food webs in relation to environmental factors and to conduct research that will help inform conservation efforts. As a Fellow, he is assisting in researching the trophic strategies of sea slugs that obtain chloroplasts from algae and in turn gain energy directly through photosynthesis.

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Columbia University
Environmental Biology

John, an aspiring herpetologist, seeks to unravel the underpinnings of evolutionary processes in amphibians and reptiles using an integrative approach. He is also passionate about increasing accessibility and advocating for marginalized communities within the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology. As a 2023-24 RaMP-UP Fellow, he will be studying how tropical lizards may respond to environmental and climate change.

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

George Washington University
Biology

Sarah got her first taste of ecological research studying how the periodical cicada emergence initiated a trophic cascade by altering avian foraging behaviors, a ground-breaking study now published in Science. Working to protect fragile ecosystems across Illinois only furthered her passion to conserve native biodiversity by first understanding how species interact. Sarah is excited to continue her research on plant-insect interactions and behavior in the acacia-ant system as a 2024 RaMP-UP Fellow. 

2023 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Colorado State University
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability

By studying diverse and resilient ecosystems, Ilana hopes to create lasting conservation solutions for communities that are most impacted by climate change. 

2024 GSS RaMP-UP Fellow

Colorado State University
Zoology

Isabella, "Izzy" to her friends, recently graduated from Colorado State University with a major in Zoology and a minor in Ethnic Studies. Through the RaMP-UP Fellowship, Isabella is continuing her journey to becoming an animal behavior specialist. With a focused interest in tropical mammals, Isabella will be researching the behavior of bats in an increasingly light and noisy world.