Susana Gonzalez

Susana M. Gonzalez is a PhD student in Coastal and Marine System Science working with Endowed Chair for Coastal Ecosystem Processes, Dr. Michael Wetz. She is from Downey, California and earned a B.S. in Pre-veterinary Animal Science from California Polytechnic: San Luis Obispo, where her interest in harmful algal blooms (HABs) arose after working in marine mammal rehabilitation. She learned about the effects of HABs on humans, animals, and the environment, catapulting her towards a career in conservation. Susana earned her M.S. in Conservation Medicine from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, where she also earned a certificate in Water: Systems, Science, and Society, giving her foundational knowledge in water quality problems and solutions. After developing and writing a research proposal, she was awarded the Tufts Institute of the Environment Fellowship which allowed her to conduct independent research on nutrient dynamics and HABs along the coast of Juneau, Alaska.

For her dissertation, she will be assessing HAB dynamics in coastal Texas and incorporating social and economic values of local communities to maximize the impact of her research. Susana intends to improve the relationship people have with the environment and play an integral role in diversifying the field of conservation.