Bio

Maria Garcia is a doctoral candidate studying marine ecology in the Ruesink Lab at the University of Washington. She is a Seattle native, who is back for grad school after attending Bowdoin College and receiving a bachelor’s in biology and Romance Languages. In her free time, Maria enjoys spending time outside with her family and her dog Flapjack.

Maria is interested in understanding how changes in structure-forming species affect the organisms that use them. Her research in graduate school has focused on the eelgrass ecosystem. In this system, she has examined how organisms respond to different species and life histories of eelgrass. Additionally, she has examined the interactions between eelgrass and aquaculture. Understanding how the presence of structure influences community structure will be key for maintaining resilient ecosystems in a changing climate.

Learn about Maria’s research project