Interviews with Rafael Risomena-Rodriquez (Programa de Investigacion en Botanica Marina Dept. Marine Biology Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur)

1. What has been your experience in working with NaGISA?

   I always dream to collaborate in a big project with people who are sensitive and devoted to their work regardless of their nationality or origin. Being a part of a big idea and working towards this is very special for me.

2. If a high school student approached you for advice, what kind of path would you recommend for someone interested in coastal biodiversity?

   I often go to high schools and many students come to talk about things with me and I always ask them to think what they would like to do in the future. Of course a might be interested in coastal biodiversity as a professional carrier but it often the case that people are drawn to the coasts outside of the realm of science. There are many opportunities to forge this love for biodiversity or nature with out becoming a researcher... for instance one might become a guide ( for natural areas) or even simply volunteer with local initiatives... as it is not necessary to relate everything to ones professional life. I have a friend who is a perfect example of this as he is an engineer but loves biodiversity.

3. What parts of your research have been in the field of coastal marine biology?

   I am one of the lead PIs for the East Pacific NaGISA groups. Other than NaGISA, I am involved in various projects focused on nearshore taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of Marine Plants, including monitoring programs in Marine Protected Areas.

4. What recent challenges have you faced in your work, especially your research?

   The most challenging part of research is acquiring the necessary funding to complete the work. One big problem that I feel is related to my research is that I work in a very small University in Mexico and we are not fully aware of many things. I consider isolation as a big problem for the proper development of my program.

5. Which marine organism is your favorite? What are some interesting facts about that organism? What was one interesting encounter with this organism?

   I do love Marine Plants but in particular rhodoliths. I always get amazed when I see organisms in the field that need to survive in very extreme conditions and learning to understand their strategies are very exciting to me.

6. What drew you to work with NaGISA/coastal marine biology?

   I feel it [the coast] is a part of the ocean that is not very well understood and is often neglected as so much effort is expended to do things that are concentrated on the land, especially here in Mexico but the coasts are important!