The Center for Galapagos Studies Seed Grants are designed to foster the development of research partnerships and projects in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, with a focus on the Galapagos Science Center, a jointly developed and supported facility of UNC-Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Grants are to UNC faculty to undertake preliminary research or to enhance existing projects that lead to external grant applications. Preference is given to new project initiatives. The Galapagos Initiative emphasizes the study of the social, terrestrial, and marine sub-systems in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador and their integration through a focus on population, health, and environment.
Research Projects 2023 – 2024
Trophic control of fisheries production in the Galapagos and beyond
People: Janet Nye
Reducing the dual burden of child malnutrition through double-duty actions
People: Heather Wasser
Exploring the Relationships Between Diet Quality, Farm Access, and Anemia in Galapagos
People: Alfredo Rojas
Research Projects 2022 – 2023
Agri(cultures) of Disease and Climate Adaptation in the Galapagos
People: Caela O’Connell
Native Galapagos wildlife responses to invasive species management and sea-level rise
People: Paul Taillie
The interplay between global change and host-pathogen dynamics
People: Senay Yitbarek
Academic-Practice Partnership for Professional Development (ADAPT)
People: Megan Williams, Ashley Bryant
The Power of Place for Education: An Exploration of Place-Based Learning in the Galapagos
People: Troy Sadler
Movement patterns and habitat use of juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks
People: Savannah Ryburn, John Bruno
Research Projects 2019 – 2020
Techno-ecological synergies for sustainable energy management in the Galapagos Islands: An analysis of resource and cost
People: Noah Kittner
Temporal and seasonal effects on the composition of plant-associated microbial communities at different microclimates on the Galapagos Islands
People: Elizabeth Shank, Diego Riveros-Iregui
DNA sequencing of Galapagos seaweeds: A critical need to understand the marine biota
People: Todd Vision, Paul Gabrielson
Research Projects 2018 – 2019
Timber agroforestry and sustainability on the island of San Cristobal
People: Javier Arce-Nazario
Exploring the social and emotional impact of living with type 2 diabetes among adults in Galapagos
People: Clare Barrington, Edwin Fisher
Fostering Educational Mobility and Well-Being on the Galapagos Islands
People: Dana Griffin, David Ansong
Knowledge, Livelihoods, and Marine Spatial planning in the Galapagos Marine Reserve
People: Elizabeth Havice, Gabriela Valdivia
Grass Genomes from the Galapagos: Extending the Ecuadorean Grass Genome Conservation Project
People: Alan Jones, Corbin Jones
Evaluating lithium (Li) isotopes to understand critical zone development in tropical islands: a systematic assessment on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos
People: Xiaoming Liu, Diego Riveros-Iregui
Exploring the frequency and consequences of hybridization between endemic and invasive plant species in the Galapagos islands
People: Todd Vision, Bryan Reatini
Soil Microbial Community Composition across an Elevation Gradient on the Galapagos Islands.
People: Elizabeth Shank, Diego Riveros-Iregui
Linking the marine ecosystem to marine aerosols: Field campaign in the Galapagos Islands
People: William Vizuete
Feasibility of home visitation support measures for parenting skills and mental health symptoms in Mothers of Young Children (0-3) in the Galapagos
People: Julee Waldrop, Amanda Thompson