Josefa Araya Campano recently defended her thesis: “Influence of rainfall and winds on the daily accumulation rates of stranded marine debris on two beaches in central-northern Chile,” earning the title of Marine Biologist from the Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile. Throughout her academic journey, she has developed a strong interest in researching marine debris issues, actively participating in the citizen science program “Científicos de la Basura”. Additionally, she is the coordinator of the citizen science project EMI (Invasive Marine Species of Chile) of the BEDIM laboratory, focused on studying non-native marine species, particularly algae and invertebrates in the subtidal and intertidal environments of the Chilean coast. She completed her professional internship at LAMA (Marine Environments Laboratory of Atacama), where she focused on promoting and searching for new seagrass meadows in central-northern Chile.
Furthermore, she demonstrates her passion for science outreach. In 2020, during the pandemic, she founded the student organization “Simbiontes de Lafken Mapu,” dedicated to activities related mainly to marine and aquatic environments in the Coquimbo Region, including wetlands and beaches. The organization has been notable for its active involvement in various scientific and educational initiatives in the community.
This is her first time going on a research cruise, where Josefa feels grateful and excited to learn, expanding her interests into new areas of science.
Cruises:
