Isabel Nunez

Provided consultancy on curriculum development, citizen science workshops, scientific outreach, technical reporting on Sargassum and seagrass, and partnership facilitation for embassies and regional organizations.

Led a National Geographic-funded expedition mapping remote atolls and assessing ecosystem services using drone photogrammetry, developing monitoring frameworks, obtaining permits, and securing funding.

Contributed to reassessment of Indo-Pacific reef-building corals for the IUCN Red List through literature review, workshop participation, and synthesis of taxonomy, distribution, threats, and conservation actions.

Co-led the Constructive Visions project, coordinating global educators, securing funding, producing chapters, and driving community engagement to translate post-COVID narratives into local action.

Produced and led research for a documentary on near-shallow coral refuges, coordinating film teams, conducting benthic analyses, obtaining drone permits, and communicating scientific results.

Led research and community workshops to repurpose Sargassum in Caribbean communities, obtaining permits, synthesizing data, and co-developing education programs and technical reports.

Conducted PhD research developing holistic metrics for coral reef restoration success on the Great Barrier Reef, designing experiments, obtaining permits, mentoring students, and publishing five manuscripts.

Facilitated collaboration between Allen Coral Atlas and global institutions to integrate benthic and bleaching data, delivered workshops and capacity-building programs, and supported mapping improvements.

Led coral microfragmentation and nursery projects, developed monitoring frameworks, obtained permits, designed cost-effective restoration techniques, and conducted long-term ecological monitoring.

Conducted coral cryopreservation and nursery setup research, managed gamete collections, developed in situ nursery plans, and applied photogrammetry and statistical analysis to restoration science.

Worked on assisted evolution and selective breeding of corals, conducting gamete collections, crossing protocols, outplanting, and long-term monitoring to build reef resilience.

Supported large-scale reef restoration pilot efforts including mass gamete fertilization, larval rearing, settlement experiments, husbandry of recruits, and technical reporting for ReefGuard Bahamas.

Conducted studies on mercury bioaccumulation and environmental impact, developed and optimized DGT samplers, performed field sampling and mercury analysis, and contributed to pollutant assessment reports.

Master of Business Administration focusing on business administration and management.

Activities and societies: Developed SOPs, mentored honours and masters students, published manuscripts, engaged with Traditional Owners on Sea Country.

PhD in Science focused on coral reef conservation and restoration with research on restoration metrics, monitoring, and ecosystem services.

Activities and societies: Erasmus-related collaborations; coursework and research in aquaculture technologies and marine resource management.

Two-year MSc (engineering) in Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management covering aquaculture, marine ecology, and resource management techniques.

Activities and societies: Fieldwork in Mo'orea, collaboration with CRIOBE, hands-on coral restoration and monitoring.

Erasmus traineeship exchange involving field-based research and training in Mo'orea on coral reef ecology and restoration techniques.

Activities and societies: IACUC certifications, hazardous waste and lab safety training.

Research training including IACUC certifications and lab safety trainings related to working with fish and hazardous waste in research.

Activities and societies: Laboratory research on biomarkers and pollutants, field studies, necropsies, and use of analytical techniques (GC-MS, spectrophotometry).

Five-year integrated Bachelor's/Master's degree in Biology with specialization in marine biology and chemistry.

Erasmus study exchange program as part of undergraduate studies in biology with coursework at Sapienza University of Rome.