Students

We collaborate with several Universities and we host in our institutions’ students to develop their MSc and PhD thesis. Overall all thesis develop and apply advanced mathematical and statistical methods to analyzing ecological/biological data to improve our knowledge on natural resources.

Students

Meet Our Students

Cristina González

Profile

I am a biologist with two master’s degrees, one in Biostatistic and another in Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Systems. I am currently a student of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). My research topic is related to develop an analytical framework for understanding the distribution of elasmobranchs and pelagic fish species (Thunnus albacares) under fishing pressure on Cocos Island National Park (Costa Rica). Specifically, I am using spatial-temporal models with a Bayesian approach. This methodology has as main objective to contribute to the sustainable management of these small-scale fisheries and their resources and be a benchmark for other offshore marine protected areas.

Óscar Zamora

Profile

I am a fisheries biologist, fascinated with the question “how much we can extract from a marine population without compromising its future stability?”. Currently, I am conducting a Ph. D. in Sea Sciences and Limnology at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). I study a recently-stablished hake (Merluccius productus) fishery in the Gulf of California and try to understand (quantitatively) the links between biology, ecology, and fishing technology that could help to forecast future states of the population and then provide useful advice for the development and management of the fishery. My main focus at the Instituto Español de Oceanografía is to model the spatial distribution and abundance of hake, identify core zones, and predict future states conditioned to climate change and effects of catch, by using spatially explicit Bayesian Hierarchical models and other tools.

Fran Izquierdo

Profile

I have a degree in Marine sciences from the University of Alicante. I am really interested in statistics applied to population ecology and conservation. Since 2017, I have just finalized a Master’s degree in Biostatistics from the University of Valencia. My master thesis aimed to perform species distribution models (SDMs) for the European hake recruits (Merluccius merluccius) in the Northen of the Iberian Peninsula by fitting Bayesian spatio-temporal hierarchical models (B-HSTMs) with R-INLA. The results of this study could be an important tool for the fisheries managment of this species.

Nicolas Sueyro

Profile

I am a biologist, with an interest in marine mammals. Currently, I am doing a PhD at the Center for study of marine systems (CESIMAR- CONICET) in Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina. My research topic is the study of the distribution and use of habitat of the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis). In particular, I’m applying spatial models, with a Bayesian approach, to understanding the breeding areas used by this species and predict new breeding sites in the South American coast.

Elena Lloret

Profile

I graduated on Biological Sciences from the University of Exeter and did a master on Oceanography and Marine Management at the University of Barcelona. I am currently doing my PhD at the marine research centre ICM-CSIC. I use Bayesian hierarchical spatial models to predict seasonal changes on species distribution on the western Mediterranean Sea Ecosystem. I am interested on marine ecology and conservation, focusing on trophic interactions and changes in species distribution driven by environmental and anthropogenic factors.

Marie-Christine Rufener

Profile

I am a biologists, currently conducting my PhD student at the DTU AQUA National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Ecosystem based Marine Management. My main research interests are within the fields of ecology, statistical modeling and fisheries issues. Particularly, I am interested in species-environmental relationships in order to implement sustainable management strategies, and thus ensure conservation measures for target species.

Daniel Vilas

Profile

I’m a biologist with a master degree in Oceanography. Currently, I’m a PhD student interested in marine ecology and conservation, with special interest in the food-web, its spatial planning and its relationship with abiotic factors such as anthropogenic and environmental. I work with different kind of modelling (species distribution and qualitative and quantitative food-web models) and contrasting biogeographical areas (template and polar environments).

Caterina Paparsenos

Profile

I have a Bachelor Degree in Biology and I am very much interested in the field of Marine Ecology and Conservation. At the moment, I am studying a Master Degree in Biostatistics at the University of Valencia, in Valencia, Spain. My master’s thesis is aimed to define the distributions of anchovy (Engraulius encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pichardus) in the Atlantic Iberian coast by fitting spatial Bayesian models with R-INLA. Besides, predictions of their distributions in different possible IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) climate scenarios are been studied in these research to evaluate the impact caused by the Climate Change on these two species

Irene Extremara

Profile

I am graduated in Biology in University Autonoma of Madrid and I am interested in the field of Spatial Statistics applied to Marine Ecology.
Currently, I am studying a Master Degree in Biostatistics at the University of Valencia (Spain). My master’s thesis is aimed to compare different spatial distribution models (SDMs)