2025 - Present
University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Postdoctoral Research Scientist (PI: Aide Macias-Muñoz)
investigating evolution in Cnidarian systems Hydra, Aurelia, and Cassiopea; leading husbandry, evo-devo, and genomics initiatives in Aurelia, and establishing the foundation for a research program on Cassiopea.
2018 – 2024
Graduate Research Assistant (PI: Alison Sherwood)
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Life Sciences
led biodiversity discovery and genomic characterization efforts as part of the NSF Biodiversity Survey of Hawaiian Mesophotic Algae, and NSF PurSUiT: Discovery and characterization of mesophotic seaweeds in Hawaiʻi: genomic adaptations to low light environments, contributing to 10+ publications
University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Postdoctoral Research Scientist (PI: Aide Macias-Muñoz)
investigating evolution in Cnidarian systems Hydra, Aurelia, and Cassiopea; leading husbandry, evo-devo, and genomics initiatives in Aurelia, and establishing the foundation for a research program on Cassiopea.
2018 – 2024
Graduate Research Assistant (PI: Alison Sherwood)
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Life Sciences
led biodiversity discovery and genomic characterization efforts as part of the NSF Biodiversity Survey of Hawaiian Mesophotic Algae, and NSF PurSUiT: Discovery and characterization of mesophotic seaweeds in Hawaiʻi: genomic adaptations to low light environments, contributing to 10+ publications
2023
Smithsonian Institution
Pre-doctoral Research Fellow (PI: Sonia Rowley and Andrea Quattrini)
resolved evolutionary relationships of octocorals at species and population scales using targeted UCE-based SNP enrichment as part of NSF EPSCoR: Novel target-enriched genomic approaches to assess the diversity of Gorgonian Octocorals on Indo-Pacific Mesophotic Coral Reefs
2017 – 2018
University of San Carlos, Department of Biology
Undergraduate Research assistant (PI: Paul Geraldino)
conducted field-based collections and applied analytical chemistry approaches (GC–MS, HPLC) to profile and isolate secondary metabolites, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids, from red algae Halymenia
Smithsonian Institution
Pre-doctoral Research Fellow (PI: Sonia Rowley and Andrea Quattrini)
resolved evolutionary relationships of octocorals at species and population scales using targeted UCE-based SNP enrichment as part of NSF EPSCoR: Novel target-enriched genomic approaches to assess the diversity of Gorgonian Octocorals on Indo-Pacific Mesophotic Coral Reefs
2017 – 2018
University of San Carlos, Department of Biology
Undergraduate Research assistant (PI: Paul Geraldino)
conducted field-based collections and applied analytical chemistry approaches (GC–MS, HPLC) to profile and isolate secondary metabolites, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids, from red algae Halymenia
2015 – 2017
Philippine Government agencies
Field Scientist
conducted ecological field research and led science communication initiatives for major environmental programs, including the Bantayan Blue Crabs Project, Filipinnovation Coral Reef Restoration Program, Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and environmental impact assessments for coastal development projects with a local government unit (Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines). As part of these projects, I regularly conduct presentations to policymakers, tourists and locals to raise awareness of environmental science and conservation issues among the broader public.
Philippine Government agencies
Field Scientist
conducted ecological field research and led science communication initiatives for major environmental programs, including the Bantayan Blue Crabs Project, Filipinnovation Coral Reef Restoration Program, Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and environmental impact assessments for coastal development projects with a local government unit (Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines). As part of these projects, I regularly conduct presentations to policymakers, tourists and locals to raise awareness of environmental science and conservation issues among the broader public.
Teaching Assistant
BOT 480: Algal Diversity and Evolution
(UHM, Spring 2019–2022)
Guest Lecture
BIOE109: Evolution
(UCSC, Fall 2025)
HWST 155: Nā Limu Hawaiʻi
(Windward Community College, Fall 2019)
BOT 480: Algal Diversity and Evolution
(UHM, Spring 2019–2022)
BOT 480: Algal Diversity and Evolution
(UHM, Spring 2019–2022)
Guest Lecture
BIOE109: Evolution
(UCSC, Fall 2025)
HWST 155: Nā Limu Hawaiʻi
(Windward Community College, Fall 2019)
BOT 480: Algal Diversity and Evolution
(UHM, Spring 2019–2022)
BOT 201: Plant Evolutionary Diversity
(UHM, Fall 2019)
(UHM, Fall 2019)
Additional Professional Develoopment Training
UCSC Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning (CITL) Equity-Minded Mentoring
UC Santa Cruz Postdocs Association (USPA) Future Faculty Workshop Series
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Community Outreach and Patient Advocacy
Academic Excellence Program (ACE) Secret Society of Mentors (SSM) Workshop
FUTURE in BIOLOGY Field-based Teaching Training Certification
COastal Mentorship and Professional Advancement in Science and Society (COMPASS) Visual SciComm Workshop
UCSC Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning (CITL) Equity-Minded Mentoring
UC Santa Cruz Postdocs Association (USPA) Future Faculty Workshop Series
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Community Outreach and Patient Advocacy
Academic Excellence Program (ACE) Secret Society of Mentors (SSM) Workshop
FUTURE in BIOLOGY Field-based Teaching Training Certification
COastal Mentorship and Professional Advancement in Science and Society (COMPASS) Visual SciComm Workshop
2026
Committee Member, UCSC EEB Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA) committee
Review Committee Member, Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference ʻImi i ke Ēwe o ka ʻĀina
Review Committee Member, Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-Based Opportunities (CAMINO)
Review Committee Member, Hartnell College to UCSC Genomics Transfer Pathways
Guest Editor, MDPI Diversity Special Issue: Diversity of Marine Algae
External Manuscript Reviewer, Journals: PeerJ, Journal of Phycology
Committee Member, UCSC EEB Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA) committee
Review Committee Member, Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference ʻImi i ke Ēwe o ka ʻĀina
Review Committee Member, Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-Based Opportunities (CAMINO)
Review Committee Member, Hartnell College to UCSC Genomics Transfer Pathways
Guest Editor, MDPI Diversity Special Issue: Diversity of Marine Algae
External Manuscript Reviewer, Journals: PeerJ, Journal of Phycology