I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where I completed undergraduate and master’s degrees in biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus, under the supervision of Dr. Alberto Sabat. There, I found my passion for researching conservation and restoration in marine environments. I joined nonprofit-led research and restoration efforts focused on coral, seagrass, and nearshore ecosystems, incorporating community education. Currently, as a PhD student in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Adelaide, under the supervision of Dr. Ilaíne Matos, our research examines how seagrass responds to light and heatwaves to future-proof restoration strategies.