Category: Volunteers

Volunteer

Soy Aisha Patel, estudiante de Biologia Marina en la Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panamá, me interesa la ecología marina y cómo los ecosistemas marinos han cambiado a lo largo del tiempo. Me llama la atención la paleontología marina como una herramienta para entender el pasado ecológico del océano y cómo las comunidades marinas han respondido a cambios ambientales y humanos.

Como voluntaria en el laboratorio del Dr. Aaron O’Dea en el Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), tengo la oportunidad de involucrarme en investigaciones relacionadas con la historia natural de los ecosistemas tropicales. Me motiva aprender sobre el trabajo científico que permite reconstruir ambientes marinos del pasado, y estoy entusiasmada por adquirir nuevas experiencias que enriquezcan mi formación como futura bióloga marina.

Como estudiante apasionada por el océano, disfruto aprender tanto en el laboratorio como en el campo. Me motiva poder compartir ese conocimiento y contribuir, en el futuro, a la comprensión y conservación de los ecosistemas marinos tropicales.

STRI Volunteer

I am a marine biologist and limnologist interested in the evolution, ecology, and resilience of tropical marine ecosystems. My research integrates modern ecological monitoring with the fossil record to understand how environmental change has shaped biodiversity and trophic structure through time.

At the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), I serve as Laboratory Manager of the O’Dea Lab in the Paleobiology and Marine Historical Ecology Group. I first joined STRI’s Physical Monitoring Program, contributing to long-term oceanographic and water-quality monitoring of Panama’s mangrove and coastal ecosystems. As a certified scientific diver (AAUS, Rescue & Nitrox), I conduct underwater fieldwork that complements my laboratory research on coral reefs and fossil assemblages.

Currently, within the Panama Paleontology Project, I focus on analyzing fossil shark teeth from the Miocene Gatun Formation. My work aims to reconstruct ancient trophic networks and tentative nursery areas to discover the ecology of the formation from 10 to 7 mya. I also work on modern communities, identifying changes driven by climatic events such as marine heatwaves and ocean acidification, to better understand how coral reef ecosystems respond to environmental stress. This approach helps identify ecological baselines to guide tangible and practical conservation efforts.

Beyond research, I am passionate about science communication and ocean advocacy. I have represented Panama in international forums such as the Our Ocean conference and Immersed in Change. I collaborate with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance Panama to engage young people in marine conservation. My goal is to bridge marine biology and conservation paleobiology to better understand the past and protect the future of tropical oceans.