2026 Speakers
Steve Taylor
About: A second year PhD student studying computer engineering at UC San Diego. Steve is interested in developing new sensing and networking technologies in the interests of sustainability and pollution control.
Talk on: Using microbes to detect heavy metals and other forms of pollutants.
Some microbes endemic to natural environments are capable of producing electricity. This electrical signal has been explored as a sensing modality for a variety of phenomena, including microbial health, soil carbon dynamics, and pollutants such as heavy metals. Our laboratory has been conducting a large-scale study using native soils to develop these microbes as sensors, known as soil microbial fuel cells. The final phase of this work will use soils from the Kendall-Frost Reserve Marsh. This talk explores why the Reserve is uniquely suited to validate the efficacy of heavy metal sensing using soil microbial fuel cells.
Shanasia Sylman
About: Shanasia Sylman is the 2024-2026 NOAA Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Research Fellow at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. She is also a PhD Candidate at Cornell University in City and Regional Planning. Before starting her PhD, Shanasia worked as an Outdoor Recreation Planner for the National Park Service (NPS) for about 4 years. Shanasia holds a BS in Engineering (with a focus on the Environment) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Master of Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Shanasia is very passionate about supporting parks and protected areas, especially in urban contexts. Urban conservation areas, such as the TRNERR, are constantly navigating complex social-ecological histories and realities. Her research aims to contribute to the strengthening of evolving relationships between the U.S., Mexico, and the Kumeyaay that are necessary for the long-term restoration and stewardship of the Tijuana Estuary.
Talk on: Cultural Value of Wetlands
Much of the great research about wetlands focuses on the different species and plants that call wetlands home. However, there is a less of a focus on the cultural importance of wetlands. This talk will be about the cultural value of wetlands, specifically the Kendall-Frost Marsh and Tijuana River Estuary. We’ll learn about how people’s thoughts about and interactions with wetlands have changed over time and they differ across communities.
Julio Lorda
About: Dr. Julio Lorda is a marine ecologist specializing in coastal ecosystems, with a focus on the Baja California and California regions. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and has dedicated his career to studying long-term environmental changes, species interactions, and conservation strategies. He is a faculty member at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) and a co-founder of Managing Ecosystems across the Californias (MexCal), a research consortium based in Ensenada, Baja California. Additionally, he is an adjunct scientist at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR), contributing to international coastal monitoring initiatives. Dr. Lorda’s research spans a variety of ecological topics, including population and community ecology, biogeography, long-term coastal monitoring, invasive species ecology, climate change impacts, and ecological parasitology. His work integrates academic research with applied conservation, aiming to develop sustainable solutions for marine resource management.
Talk on: Climate Change in Baja California Estuaries
Climate change and other anthropogenic pressures have significantly impacted coastal biological communities worldwide. These changes are particularly pronounced in transition zones, where different ecological regions meet. Baja California lies at the convergence of a tropical ecoregion to the south and a temperate ecoregion to the north, making it an important area for studying ecological shifts. Over the past decade, the distribution and abundance of several species along the Baja California coast have changed drastically. We have observed an increase in invasive species and the poleward expansion of tropical species in the region’s coastal ecosystems. Continuous monitoring of these valuable ecosystems is crucial for understanding species interactions and informing management and restoration efforts.
Noah Rose
About: Noah Rose carried out his Ph.D. research as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow with Stephen Palumbi at Stanford University and was a Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow in Lindy McBride’s group at Princeton University. He joined the UCSD EBE faculty in 2023.
Talk on: Mosquito evolution and ecology in the human era
There are thousands of species of mosquitoes, but the vast majority of human disease is spread by just a few – those species that have recently evolved an ecological specialization on human hosts and habitats. I will discuss examples of how mosquito populations are responding to human effects on ecosystems, and how these responses affect human populations in turn. I will describe how the fates of humans and mosquitoes are intertwined in habitats ranging from saltmarshes in San Diego to rainforests in Africa.
Diego Maldonado de la Torre
About: Diego Maldonado de la Torre holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences. He earned his degree with a thesis focused on the description of pollen morphology in 62 chaparral species from Ensenada. He worked for two years with the conservation nonprofit Fauna del Noroeste as Restoration Projects Coordinator. During this time, he helped restore a section of the Punta Banda estuary dune system by removing invasive vegetation and monitoring revegetation by native species and associated fauna. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Life Sciences at CICESE. His research interests include plant–pollinator communities, lotic ecosystems, and birdwatching tourism.
Talk on: What is Pollen?
In our daily lives, we often think about pollen when we talk about pollinators, allergies, or even dietary supplements, but we rarely stop to consider what this mysterious yellow powder actually is. In this talk, we will explore what pollen is, what it is made of, and why it is essential for the maintenance of all terrestrial ecosystems on the planet.