Dr. Santiago Herrera is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University, USA, and serves as a Research Associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and a Guest Investigator at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He previously completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Herrera specializes in deep-sea biology, molecular ecology, and environmental DNA (eDNA) technology, focusing on the biodiversity and connectivity of deepwater coral ecosystems. He has extensive field experience, leading or participating in over 30 oceanographic expeditions utilizing remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and other advanced deep-sea exploration technologies. His research integrates molecular tools and field exploration to address ecological and conservation challenges in marine environments.
He has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the Frank Hook Professorship for outstanding junior scholar-teachers and the Dean’s Faculty Research Award at Lehigh University, as well as an Early-Career Research Fellowship from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Dr. Herrera earned his PhD in Biological Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He also holds dual BSc degrees in Microbiology and Biology and an MSc in Biological Sciences from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.
Cruises:
