Antillean manatees feed on floating Halophila baillonii in Placencia Lagoon, Belize

I study marine mammal behavior and ecology in the wild with the goal of improving measures for their conservation. I'm broadly interested in better understanding what factors drive animal behavior and habitat use in coastal habitats. In my dissertation, I applied small aerial drones to track fine-scale animal movements in Belize and explored the use of drone-based data collection to test questions about their spatial ecology. In 2018, we published a chapter of my dissertation on the behavioral responses of dolphins and manatees to small drones. My work involves leading educational and science-based ecotourism trips, and extensive collaboration with local communities, research organizations, and governments. I serve as Student Member-At-Large (board member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy) working to advocate for students studying marine mammals and as a member of the IUCN SSC Sirenian Specialist Group in Mesoamerica. I also cofounded FINS, an NGO dedicated to marine megafauna research.