Dr. Paola López-Duarte (co-PI/Mentor). López-Duarte is a marine ecologist with over 15 years of experience in research, teaching, and mentorship. Her research integrates larval ecology, animal behavior, and food web dynamics to understand how environmental conditions affect the resilience of coastal ecosystems.
López-Duarte has a strong record of mentoring students from diverse backgrounds in research, having advised dozens of undergraduate and graduate students. She has been recognized for her dedication to mentorship with the 2023 SACNAS Distinguished Mentor Award and the UNC Charlotte Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award. López-Duarte has also been awarded for her efforts to integrate undergraduate teaching and research and has formal training in mentorship and fostering diversity and inclusion in STEM.
Current Grad Students
Caitlin BrabbleRose (PhD Biology Program, UNC Charlotte)
Keria Moritsugu-Vandehey (MS ESM Program)
Kandace Wheeler (MS Biology Program)