I was born and raised in Spain, moved to the United States to pursue a B.Sc. in Biology at the University of Texas-Austin. After serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru, I completed an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in marine biology at James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Australia.

I am a molecular ecologist and Senior Research Scientist at Minderoo Foundation. Generally, I use population genomic and coral reproductive biology in conjunction with field, experimental, and modelling methods to understand what makes some corals resistant to heat stress while others are vulnerable.
I moved over to Western Australia after spending 8 years working on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, first as a Postdoctoral Fellow and then as a Research Scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. There I investigated the genomic basis of stress tolerance, adaptation, and resilience in corals and their associated symbionts. I also tested the feasibility of large-scale restoration interventions, namely Assisted Gene Flow (AGF), that aims to increase heat tolerance in corals. AGF involves the intentional breeding and translocation of warm-adapted corals and their offspring to fast-track adaptation against future climate warming. As a National Geographic Explorer, I am also working to establish partnerships with Traditional Owner communities along the Great Barrier Reef to build support and social license for AGF through dialogue, engagement, and knowledge sharing.