Sandra Villarreal

Position:

• Doctoral Candidate, Department of Biology

Primary Research Project:

• IPY: Back to the Future (BTF), Re-sampling research sites established more than 25 years ago to assess future trajectories of change in high latitude terrestrial ecosystem structure and function.

Contact details:

Started at UTEP:

Education:

• Fall 2003 – Spring 2005: Wildlife management studies at Sul Ross State University
• Fall 2005 – Spring 2008: BSc. in Environmental Science from the University of Texas at El Paso

Research Interests:

• Plant ecology, terrestrial arctic biology, plant-animal interactions

Grants and Fellowships:

• 2007: UTEP Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) award scholarship

Favorite Technologies:

• The Systems Ecology Lab unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Favorite Field Site:

• Atqasuk, Alaska
• Barrow, Alaska
• The Antarctic Peninsula
  

Hobbies:

• Traveling, hiking, gardening, photography, dog training, videogames

Personal Statement:

• I’ve been a resident of the El Paso-Juarez metropolitan region my entire life.  I was born in Mexico but moved to the United States when I was very young.  I debated the topic of my undergraduate studies for some time, but found my niche in the Systems Ecology Laboratory at the University of Texas at El Paso.  It is truly a privilege to work alongside the people of various backgrounds and specialties that make up our lab.

Miscellaneous:

• Learn all about my trip to Antarctica!  Visit the gallery or read articles about IPY-ROAM: The International Polar Year Research and education Opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities program.