It all started when…

I grew up in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, near the Amazon Rainforest. My interest in marine biology emerged from a deep desire to create refugees for the fauna and flora impacted by human activities. After witnessing significant deforestation and the extinction of numerous species in my hometown, I moved to California and immersed myself in learning ecological management and restoration with Landpaths. I became a wildlife specialist after working with trail cameras at Pepperwood Preserve, but I also had the heartbreaking opportunity to experience seeing devastating fires wipe out thousands of living things in the redwood and oak forests.
After that, I had the opportunity to do scuba diving in the Gorgona Island, Colombia. This island, historically known as a former prison and the venomous snakes, introduced me to another planet, the underwater world. It was a life changing moment, it was a fantastic experience, However, I also saw the unfortunate and destructive impact of human activity.
This moment pushed me further into studying marine ecosystems, specifically understanding how they are responding to the climate crisis and finding ways to create refugees to protect the remaining marine species, hoping that humanity will eventually reduce its harmful influence on the environment.

My research...

I had collaborated on studies and analyses of reef fish feeding behaviors and the changing structural complexity of coral reefs, building 3D concrete structures, studying fish feeding behaviors in the structures, testing the cognitive behavior of Hawaiian cleaner fish, and analyzing interactions between cleaner fish and their clients.

What I've written...

Coming soon!

Contact me…

Email:

jojoa@hawaii.edu

Address:

Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
PO Box 1346 (for US Postal Service)
46-007 Lilipuna Road (For all other carriers)
Kaneohe, HI 96744 USA