PhD Students

My research project for the PhD focuses on using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) to monitor behavioral responses of waterbirds and to monitor wetlands in the Caribbean. Using GIS techniques, including NDVI-based habitat classification for coastal habitats, the project maps waterbird foraging habitats. Additionally, a comparative analysis of drone-based and ground-based survey methods evaluates data quality and species behavior under different survey approaches. The project aims to develop low-disturbance monitoring that links bird population assessments to habitat conditions, supporting conservation planning and coastal habitat management across the Caribbean. 

My research focuses on how interacting environmental factors influence the demography of Orbicella annularis in shallow, degraded reef systems. By integrating coral demography, photogrammetry, and GIS-based spatial analysis, it aims to advance habitat modeling by identifying spatial and environmental patterns associated with population growth and long-term persistence.

Emerging technologies are transforming coral reef restoration monitoring by enabling more precise assessments of structural development and ecosystem functionality. Current project evaluates the effectiveness of enhanced structural complexity using artificial 3D structures to support Acropora cervicornis outplant performance in Culebra, Puerto Rico. Coral survival, growth, and branching were monitored over one year across sites with and without structural enhancement. In addition, changes in reef framework production were quantified by estimating net calcium carbonate budgets using the ReefBudget methodology providing insight into functional recovery following restoration. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry was also applied to compare diver-based and ROV-based survey approaches using ecological metrics such as coral volume, slope, and rugosity. Together, these approaches support thedevelopment of scalable monitoring strategies to improve restoration assessment and inform coastal resilience and reef management efforts.