Hello and welcome to my professional website! My name is Triana and I am a marine ecologist by training. As an undergraduate at the University of North Florida, I participated in Dr. Jim Gelsleichter's Shark Biology program where I got my first taste of academic research. Through the NSF-REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates), I presented my first poster and continue working on my capstone project titled, "Trends in Abundance of Sharks in Northeast Florida Estuaries". The following summer, I joined the American Elasmobranch Society and have been an active member of the Student Activities Committee.

Over the years, I have become increasingly involved in mentorship opportunities both as a mentee and a mentor.  I actively participate in Minorities in Shark Sciences, and encourage young researchers to learn more about this organization.  Currently, I serve on the Advisory Leadership Board as the High school Mentorship Coordinator and work with 11 students. If you are interested in learning more about MISS, please follow the link above to apply and become a member, or participate as an ally through their "Friends of MISS" program.

I am currently Biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI/FWC) in the Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM) Program. I am a strong believer that hard work pays off, even in the face of several failures....but let's also rebuild academia by creating space for historically marginalized students.

If you are interested in pursuing graduate school but don't know where to start, I encourage you to visit my Q & A page. If you would like to learn more, or have specific questions, please reach out using the "Contact Form" page. Thanks for visiting!