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Administration

Amanda Thompson, PhD, MPH

Co-Director, Center for Galapagos Studies, UNC
Co-Director, Galapagos Science Center, San Cristobal, Ecuador
Professor, Anthropology, UNC
Professor, Nutrition, UNC
Associate Chair, Department of Anthropology, UNC
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, ex-officio


Diego Riveros-Iregui, PhD

Co-Director, Center for Galapagos Studies, UNC
Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Professor of Geography, UNC
Faculty, Institute for the Study of the Americas, UNC
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Phil Page

Assistant Director, Center for Galapagos Studies & Galapagos Science Center
Teaching Assistant Professor of Geography, UNC-CH
GSC Advisory Board, Secretary


Katya McKerr

Project and Operations Manager, Center for Galapagos Studies & Galapagos Science Center


Kelly Weaver

Director of External Affairs & Communications, Center for Galapagos Studies


Don Hobart

Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, UNC-CH
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Staff

Francisco Laso, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher in Imagery Science


Faculty & Students

To address the complex interactions of society and the environment of the Galapagos Archipelago, the Center is by necessity an interdisciplinary entity.  CGS faculty and students have academic homes in anthropology, biology, city & regional planning, ecology, economics, epidemiology, environmental sciences & engineering, geography, geological sciences, health behavior & health education, journalism & mass communication, marine science, nutrition, public policy, and sociology.

Faculty

Javier Arce-Nazario, PhD

Associate Professor, Geography, UNC-CH


Margaret “Peggy” Bentley, MA, PhD

Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Emeritus
Fellow, Carolina Population Center


John Bruno, PhD

Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


John Buse, MD, PhD

Chief, Division of Endocrinology, UNC-CH
Verne S. Caviness Distinguished Professor, UNC-CH
Director, Diabetes Center
Director, NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute


Paúl Cárdenas, MD, PhD

Professor of Microbiology, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


Jaime Chaves, PhD

Adjunct Professor, Evolutionary Biology, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


Gina Chowa, PhD, MSW

Associate Dean for Global Engagement
Johnson-Howard-Adair Distinguished Professor, Social Work
Director, Global Social Development Innovations
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Maria de Lourdes Torres, PhD

Vice-Dean, College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, USFQ
Head of the Biotechnology Department, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC-CH
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Andrea Encalada, PhD

Vice-Rector, USFQ
Lab Director, Aquatic Ecology, BIOSFERA Research Institute, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Geography, UNC-CH


Cindy Fraga, PhD, MSW

Associate Professor, School of Social Work, UNC-CH


Scott Gifford, PhD

Assistant Professor, Marine Sciences, UNC-CH
Sewell Family Foundation Fellow


Alex Hearn, PhD

Professor, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


Corbin Jones, PhD

Professor, Biology, UNC-CH
Faculty Director of Genomic Technologies, UNC School of Medicine
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Antonio León, PhD

Professor, Agricultural and Food Biotechnology, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


Gregory Lewbart, MS, VMD

Professor, Aquatic Animal Medicine, NC State University


Xiaoming Liu, PhD

Associate Professor, Earth Marine and Environmental Sciences, UNC-CH
CGS Faculty Research Director


Kenneth Lohmann, PhD

Charles P. Postelle, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Biology


Adrian Marchetti, PhD

Associate Professor, Marine Sciences, UNC-CH
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Carlos Mena, PhD

Co-Director, Galapagos Science Center (USFQ)
Director, Galapagos Research (USFQ)
Director, Institute of Geography, USFQ
Professor, Geography, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Geography, UNC-CH
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Valeria Ochoa-Herrera, PhD

Dean, School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario – Colombia


Phil Page

Assistant Director, Center for Galapagos Studies & Galapagos Science Center
Teaching Assistant Professor of Geography, UNC-CH
GSC Advisory Board, Secretary


Diego Quiroga, PhD

Rector, USFQ
Vice President of Research and International Programs, USFQ
Co-Director, Galapagos Academic Institute of Arts and Sciences (GAIAS), USFQ
Professor, Environmental and Life Sciences, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Geography


Gonzalo Rivas-Torres, PhD

Professor of Ecology, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Geography, UNC-CH


Diego Riveros-Iregui, PhD

Co-Director, Center for Galapagos Studies, UNC
Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Professor of Geography, UNC
Faculty, Institute for the Study of the Americas, UNC
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Harvey Seim, PhD

Professor, Marine Sciences, UNC-CH


Jill Stewart Jill Stewart, PhD

Singer Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, Member


Enrique Terán, MD, PhD

Professor, School of Medicine, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Pharmacology UNC-CH


Amanda Thompson, PhD, MPH

Co-Director, Center for Galapagos Studies, UNC
Co-Director, Galapagos Science Center, San Cristobal, Ecuador
Professor, Anthropology, UNC
Professor, Nutrition, UNC
Associate Chair, Department of Anthropology, UNC
CGS Faculty Research Director
GSC Advisory Board, ex-officio


Gabriel Trueba, PhD

Director, Institute of Microbiology, USFQ
Professor, Institute of Microbiology, USFQ
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


Todd Vision, PhD

Associate Professor, Biology, UNC-CH


William Vizuete, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering


Steve Walsh, PhD

Distinguished Emeritus Professor & Research Professor of Geography, UNC
Emeritus Founding Director, UNC Center for Galapagos Studies & Galapagos Science Center, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador


Graduate Students

Esteban Agudo

PhD Candidate, Department of Biology, UNC-CH


Khristopher Nicholas

PhD Candidate, Department of Nutrition, UNC-CH
Predoctoral Trainee, Carolina Population Center


Savannah Ryburn

MS Candidate; Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program (E3P); UNC-CH


Tessa Szalkowski

MS Candidate, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, UNC-CH


Liang “Acacia” Zhao

MS Candidate, Department of Marine Sciences, UNC-CH


Undergraduate Students

Don Fejfar

Undergraduate student, Biostatistics BSPH, UNC-CH
Morehead-Cain Scholar


Students Emeriti

Graduate Students Emeriti

Lauren Goodman, MS

MS Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, UNC-CH 2020
UNC Merit Fellow


Alyssa Grube

MS, PhD, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, UNC-CH
National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellow


Hannah Jahnke, PhD

PhD Anthropology, UNC-CH 2020
Former Trainee, Carolina Population Center
Fulbright-Hays Fellow


Francisco Laso, MSc

PhD, Department of Geography, UNC-CH
WWF Russel E. Train Fellow


Bryan Reatini

PhD, Department of Biology, UNC-CH
Fulbright Scholar


Undergraduate Students Emeriti

Nick Badhwa

BSPH Environmental Health Sciences, UNC-CH 2020


Kishan Patel

BSPH Nutrition, UNC-CH 2020


Emily Solomonson

BS Environmental Studies, UNC-CH 2019


Elijah Watson

BA Anthropology, UNC-CH 2019


Gus Winiker

Undergraduate student, Environmental Science BS, Geography Minor, UNC-CH
Data Analysis Intern