About Rene

I am a computational marine ecologist with a focus on genetics and molecular biology, and it is through this lens that I approach research questions regarding the biodiversity of marine organisms in the wake of our changing climate. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maine working at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, co-advised by Dr. Douglas Rasher and Dr. Damian Brady, with an intended date of completion to occur in July 2025. My research investigates the population genomics of kelp forests along the coast of Maine in the face of both climate change as well as a growing aquaculture industry in Maine. In addition, I use molecular genetics and computational modeling to observe the presence of invasive species which are harmful to the kelp forests, and generate multi-variate statistical models that project the presence of said species into the future.

I have a strong technical foundation in biological sciences and computational biology, which I earned my B.S. and M.S. degrees in, respectively, from Carnegie Mellon University. It is through this technical and computational lens that I approach questions regarding the current status and future state of the biodiversity of our marine ecosystems.

As an educator, I focus on ensuring my students learn how to critically think about their scientific questions while simultaneously building upon their computational skills and passion for marine sciences. I aim to create an equitable learning environment where students feel that they all have access to resources that encourage them to succeed. My own lived experiences as a queer woman in STEM have helped me pursue this goal from an institutional level down to daily interpersonal interactions.

Before any formal higher education, I fell in love with the ocean, the salt marsh, and marine organisms as a young kid. That excitement and awe grew into a passion while volunteering at Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. It was this experience - conducting juvenile horseshoe crab studies, oyster reef restoration studies, and monitoring diamondback terrapin nests - that made me realize I wanted to study our natural environmental for the rest of my life.