PEOPLE
Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Packard Fellow in Science and Engineering
Sloan Fellow in Ocean Sciences
UC President's & UC Alianza MX Postdoctoral Fellow
I am a physiological ecologist interested in understanding how changing environmental conditions drive alterations in individual physiological responses that scale to influence higher-level ecological processes. My current research utilizes an integrative approach to investigate how physiological responses of red abalone change under ocean acidification, accelerated ocean warming, and marine heatwaves by leveraging collaborative efforts with aquaculture farmers, conservation experts, and international collaborators to inform critical management questions on adaptive physiological mechanisms. My research focuses on uncovering physiological mechanisms that are vital to understanding the vulnerability and resilience of ecosystem function and services that we as humans rely on within a changing ocean.
https://racinerangel.wixsite.com/racinerangel
PhD Candidate
I’m a seventh year PhD student curious about the spatial vulnerability of key taxa to changing ocean conditions. Specifically, I'm conducting lab experiments, SCUBA surveys, a meta-analysis, and a species distribution model to work with collaborators and identify where stressful conditions exist for Dungeness crabs throughout the California current. I find it essential to advocate for science that informs policy, diversity and equality in research, and involving interested parties throughout the scientific process.
PhD Candidate, Shapiro/Kroeker Lab
I am a third year PhD student co-advised by Beth Shapiro and Kristy Kroeker. I study the ancient mammoth steppe ecosystem of Ice Age Alaska and Yukon using sedimentary ancient DNA (aDNA). My research focuses on ecological and genetic response to disturbance, community reconstruction of the Bering Land Bridge, and the impact of paleoclimate and habitat on animal distributions.
PhD candidate
I am a fourth year PhD student interested in the ecology underlying transitions between kelp forests and urchin barrens. My research focuses on tools for the protection and restoration of kelp forest habitat. I have a designated emphasis in the Coastal Science and Policy program, and hope that my work contributes to actionable solutions in the management and/or policy space.
PhD Student
I’m a fourth year PhD student who’s interested in studying how climate change alters kelp forest community structure. More specifically, I’m interested in purple urchin grazing and how that might intensify with warming, resulting in kelp deforestation. I’m hoping that my research will contribute to the efforts of conservation and provide information as to what we can do to help our kelp forest ecosystems thrive.
PhD Student
I’m a 3rd year PhD student interested in understanding the role coastal marine ecosystems play in contributing towards ecological and socio-cultural resilience. My work largely takes place in the high latitude kelp forests of Southeastern Alaska, where I leverage in-situ observations to understand how seasonally-driven fluctuations in resources drive kelp forest community structure. I hope to build off of this work by examining how global change processes alter these dynamics, and by integrating social–ecological perspectives to understand how human communities are intertwined with kelp forest resilience.
PhD Student
I am a second year PhD student. Some of my previous work focused on how storms change coral reef dynamics and how ocean acidification affects juvenile Dungeness crab behavior and fatty acid tissue composition. For future research I am interested in how mismatches in thermal tolerances between warm adapted predators and cold adapted prey effect their interactions strengths under warm ocean conditions.I am a NAUI Instructor and a member of the ACCESS SCUBA team at UCSC. We provide free Introduction to SCUBA courses to undergrads and are building a strong community to help breakdown the barriers to diving.
PhD student
I am a second year PhD student. I have been involved in Marine Sciences, particularly benthic ecology, for nearly twenty years. My masters work focused on Aleutian Island Kelp forest community dynamics. I am also a member of the US Antarctic Dive Program.
PhD Student
I am a first year PhD student with a background in kelp and coral restoration. I recently finished a year-long travel fellowship as the 2024 Our World-Underwater North American Scholar focused scientific diving and co-creating conservation solutions with coastal communities. I am broadly interested in restoration ecology and exploring how active restoration can be effective and scaled to support kelp forest conservation.
Jr Specialist
I am a field technician supporting Kroeker lab research on sustainable shellfish aquaculture in California. We are investigating seaweed communities settled on oyster farms across the state to understand important estuarine ecologies and to inform growers of potential economic benefits of secondary seaweed harvests. I studied Marine Biology and Agroecology in my undergrad at UCSC and am constantly inspired by the people and nearshore environments connected to our marine food systems.
