Dr. Alejandra Hernandez Postdoctoral Researcher she/her Keywords: coral reef ecology, microbial ecology, Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems, conservation genomics

I am a marine ecologist interested in the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine the distribution and survival of tropical corals. My research focuses on the interactions between corals, coral-associated microbes, and the environment, and the role of each of these components in coral’s health along the depth gradient. As a postdoctoral research fellow at the Reefscape Genomics Lab, I lead the Helioseris project aiming to identify the causes of the rapid decline of the Caribbean endemic Sunray Lettuce coral (Helioseris cucullata) by combining closed-circuit rebreather diving, 3D imagenary, and genomics. I enjoy running, hiking, dancing, and playing board games in my free time. Education: PhD in Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, 2018 Licentiate in Biology, Simon Bolivar University, 2009