Jorge Cortés-Núñez

Jorge Cortés-Núñez is a researcher at the Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR-Marine Science and Limnology Research Center) and professor at the School of Biology, both at the Universidad de Costa Rica. He has a B.Sc. in Biology from the Universidad de Costa Rica, a M.Sc. in Geology from McMaster University … Continued

Shannon Dwyer

Shannon Dwyer is currently an undergraduate student studying Biology at Temple University class of 2020. Shannon joined the Cordes Lab in early 2018 and has been helping out a graduate student, April Stabbins, with her project of DNA barcoding different species of crustaceans. After undergrad, she plans to further her studies and pursue PhD.  

Oliver S. Ashford

Oliver is a Postdoctoral Scholar at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego. After completing his undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge (2011), and master’s degree in Taxonomy and Biodiversity at Imperial College, London (2012), Oliver defended his PhD in Deep-Sea Ecology at the University of Oxford in 2017. … Continued

Alon Philosof

Alon Philosof is interested in the ecological role of viruses (mainly phages) in the marine environment. Globally, viruses constitute a large and abundant biomass, and are the second largest biomass in the oceans, exceeded only by the total biomass of bacteria. He is  especially interested in understanding the temporal and spatial dynamics of host-phage interactions … Continued

Betsy Pugel

Dr. Betsy Pugel hails from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and has spent the past five years as the Deputy to the Planetary Protection Officer at NASA Headquarters.  She thrives in environments where invention and collaboration are needed for resolving unique challenges.  She has worked on a range of missions for NASA, including the … Continued

John Magyar

John Magyar is a Research Scientist in Geobiology in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology. At Caltech, he works with Victoria Orphan on a variety of projects related to microbial extracellular electron transfer, anaerobic methane oxidation and sulfate oxidation in marine ecosystems, and the roles of viruses in … Continued

Beatriz Naranjo-Elizondo

Beatriz Naranjo-Elizondo is a research assistant at the Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR-Marine Science and Limnology Research Center), University of Costa Rica. She has a B.Sc. in Biology from the Universidad de Costa Rica, same institution where she got a Lic. in Biology with emphasis in Zoology. She has published … Continued

Jennifer Paduan

Jennifer Paduan is a Research Specialist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). She studies submarine volcanoes using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to map the seafloor at high-resolution and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to make observations and collect samples, such as of lavas, sediments and hydrothermal fluids. Her recent projects have included the historical lava flows on the Juan … Continued

Dawn Cardace

Dawn Cardace is an Associate Professor of Geosciences at the University of Rhode Island, in Kingston, RI, USA. She studies biosphere-geosphere interactions in ultramafic rocks at multiple field locations, connecting mineralogy, geochemistry, and prospects for deep microbial life. At the Coast Range Ophiolite Microbial Observatory in northern CA, USA (CROMO), she led the installation of … Continued

Bekah Shepard

Bekah Shepard is a scientist, science educator, and educational consultant in the greater Sacramento area.  She is passionate about communicating and sharing the excitement of scientific discovery, and specializes in designing and delivering innovative hands-on science experiences and curricula.  She has collaborated with institutions such as the Powerhouse Science Center, the Davis Art Center, and … Continued