A big welcome to Vanessa Luna Celino who will join the lab and become the newest “Gator” in August 2017.  Vanessa is supported by a competitive graduate assistantship from the Center for Latin American Studies and will be working towards the Master’s of Latin American Studies degree (MALAS) with a specialization in Tropical Conservation and Development.  Through pursuing her MALAS degree in conjunction with UF’s Tropical Conservation and Development Program, Vanessa expects to expand the scope of her biodiversity research and strengthen her skills related to the creation of regional and international Amazonian conservation alliances. Vanessa is also interested in the dissemination of conservation efforts that promote knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation. Furthermore, she hopes that her graduate studies will provide her with new tools critical for developing effective communication between decision makers and those generating relevant scientific information regarding ecosystem management. To learn more about Vanessa visit our Lab page.