I am a Guatemalan Biologist,  interested in predator-prey interactions, trophic ecology, and invasion ecology. My experience has focused on ecology of predators, especially mammalian carnivores, but now I am mostly interested in large freshwater predators independently of their taxon. Non-native species give us the opportunity to test some of the theory and assumptions about predator-prey interactions and the role this interactions play shaping the environment. These interaction can be  either by non-natives preying on natives or as prey by native predators. My research currently focuses on native Guatemalan freshwater predators feeding on invasive fish in Northern Guatemala.

I did my biology undergrad (Licenciatura) at the historic Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) and my Masters at the University of Florida (UF). Currently I am working on my Ph.D. at UF under the advice of Dr. Christina Romagosa. I have worked as a researcher for Guatemalan agencies and NGOs, such as The National Organization for the Conservation and the Environment (ONCA) and the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC), among others. As a follow up on my research on neotropical river otters, I have expanded to study the guild of predators in riverine systems, including large fish, crocodiles, fishing birds, and river otters.  In particular,  I am looking on how these predators interact with their prey and their environment. 

For my Ph.D. dissertation, I am evaluating how important the diversity of native river predators can be to define invasive fish populations. Local artisanal fisherpersons share the fishing resources with native river predators. This situation can lead to coexistence or conflict depending on the human perceptions of the native predators. I am interested in understanding and promoting the coexistence of humans and predators in a complex system like the Usumacinta River basin in northern Guatemala.