My Ph.D. co-advisors are Dr. Alex Smith (link) and Dr. Shoshanah Jacobs (link), with Dr. Dirk Steinke (link) as my Advisory Committee member, all from the Department of Integrative Biology (IB) at the University of Guelph (UofG), in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. I hold a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the Republic University in Montevideo, Uruguay, emphasizing molecular phylogenetics. I completed my first M.Sc. in Zoology at IB, studying whole genome duplications and phylogenetics in salmonid fish. I then worked for eight years at the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (formerly Biodiversity Institute of Ontario), where I initially produced and then curated DNA barcodes of all taxonomic groups. Later, I earned a second M.Sc., this time in Environmental Sciences from UofG, studying above- and below-ground biodiversity in agroecosystems.
I volunteer at the Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Equality and Diversity (GRCGED), assisting in setting up and taking down displays and tables for events, both on- and off-campus, and general maintenance of the centre. I also serve on the board of directors of the townhouse complex where I live. In addition to my volunteer work roles, I am a regular blood donor at Guelph's Canadian Blood Services, where I recently had my 92nd donation!
Education
Ph.D. in Biology - Soil and Leaf Litter Biodiversity, in progress (one day!) 2022 -
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Master's in Environmental Sciences (yes, another Master's) - Soil Biodiversity, 2022
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Master's in Zoology - Salmonids Phylogeny and Genomics, 2008
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences, 2002
Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Scholarships
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
Government of Ontario, 2024 - 2025
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
Government of Ontario, 2023 - 2024
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST)
Government of Ontario, 2022 - 2023
University of Guelph Graduate Scholarship
University of Guelph, 2019
University of Guelph Graduate Scholarship
University of Guelph, 2006
University of Guelph Graduate Scholarship
University of Guelph, 2006
Awards
Legacy Scholarship
Grain Farmers of Ontario, 2024 (link)
Arthur D. Latornell Graduate Research Scholarship
University of Guelph, 2023
Doug and Esther Ormrod Scholarship for Parents
University of Guelph, 2018
Morwick Scholarship
University of Guelph, 2018
Travel Grants
Arthur D. Latornell Travel Grant to do fieldwork in Uruguay for Chapter 4 of my Ph.D.
University of Guelph, 2024
Arthur D. Latornell Travel Grant to attend the 3rd Joint Congress in Evolutionary Biology
University of Guelph, 2024
Travel Award to attend the 3rd Joint Congress in Evolutionary Biology
American Society of Naturalists, 2024
Service
2025 - 2026 - Board Member of the Ontario Chapter of the Wildlife Society
2024 – 2025 - College of Biological Science graduate student representative on Senate. Member of the Honours and Awards Committee. College of Biological Science, University of Guelph.