Dominique G
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of Texas Austin (UT Austin)
Expertise
Coral biology, marine biology, gene expression, genetics
Bio
I am a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Mikhail Matz’s lab at the University of Texas at Austin, where I work on identifying how cryptic genetic lineages are maintained in close geographic proximity and if they are locally adapted to their environment. Prior to graduate school, I interned at the U.S. Geological Survey under Dr. Lauren Toth, assisting with rugosity studies of the Florida Keys reef tract using historic data sets from the Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project. During this time, I received my undergraduate degree in marine biology from the University of South Florida. My undergraduate research focused on the population structure of Porites astreoides, the mustard hill coral, in the Florida Keys. Outside of work, I enjoy my time with my two cats, Mochi and GusGus. I spend weekends kayaking at Lady Bird Lake in Austin. I also enjoy cultivating plants and volunteering for the Austin Animal Center.Project ideas
Genetic diversity and resilience in coral reefs
Coral reefs are threatened due to stressors, such as changing oceanic temperatures and ocean acidification. A large part of their ability to survive in these changing conditions is due to the amount of genetic diversity they harbor. In this project, a student can examine the genetic diversity of corals in relation to their resilience to climate-induced stressors like ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures. The student will investigate how genetic diversity contributes to coral reef health and survival by comparing coral genetic diversity in locations that are highly threatened versus those in more pristine conditions. This project will involve coding in R and bash, and can result in either a paper or presentation.