Originally from Ecuador, Yajaira Cristina Alquinga Salazar is an oceanographer and doctoral fellow at the Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (IADO-CONICET-UNS) in Argentina. She is a PhD candidate at Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), where she earned a BSc in oceanography. Her research focuses on the geomorphology and dynamics of coastal dune fields in the southwestern Buenos Aires Province, investigating how climatic conditions, oceanographic processes, and human activities influence sediment dynamics and coastal change. Her long-term goals are to advance coastal and marine research, strengthen international scientific collaborations, and contribute to enhanced understanding of changing coastal environments.
Yajaira Cristina Alquinga Salazar is an oceanographer and doctoral fellow at the Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía in Argentina. Her research focuses on the geomorphology and dynamics of coastal dune fields in the southwestern Buenos Aires Province. Her goals are to advance coastal and marine research, international collaborations, and understanding of changing coastal environments.
Augustina Roth is an oceanographer and PhD candidate in geosciences at Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) in Argentina. She has a bachelor’s degree in oceanography from UNS and works at the Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (IADO-CONICET-UNS) in Bahía Blanca. Her research is focused on physical and coastal oceanography, ocean-atmosphere interactions, and wave modelling. She is particularly interested in how extreme weather events affect coastal environments. Her goal is to advance understanding of waves, storm surges, and coastal impacts through observation and numerical models, and to build international and interdisciplinary research collaborations.
Augustina Roth is an oceanographer and PhD candidate in geosciences at Universidad Nacional del Sur in Argentina. Her research is focused on physical and coastal oceanography, ocean-atmosphere interactions, and wave modelling. Her goal is to advance understanding of waves, storm surges, and coastal impacts, and to help forge international and interdisciplinary research collaborations.
Mariana Gandra is a physical oceanographer from Brazil. She earned a master’s degree in Climate and Environment from the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina and a PhD in Meteorology from the National Institute for Space Research. Gandra’s research is focused on physical oceanography and air-sea interactions. Through this work, she seeks to better understand how ocean processes shape climate variability and extremes, and how these interactions may evolve in a warming world. Gandra aims to contribute to more accurate representations of these processes in climate models and to strengthen the scientific basis for understanding and anticipating future ocean and climate change.
Mariana Gandra is a physical oceanographer from Brazil. She holds a master’s degree in Climate and Environment from the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina. Gandra’s research is focused on physical oceanography and air-sea interactions. Her goal is to better understand how ocean processes shape climate variability and extremes, and how these interactions may evolve.
Curtis Akapini Apegwine is an Earth observation data scientist from Ghana. He has a BSc in Marine Science from the University of Ghana and has worked at the Regional Marine Centre, where he helped develop operational oceanographic services. Apegwine’s research is focused on fields such as satellite oceanography, maritime surveillance, and marine biogeochemistry. His goal is to drive global capacity-building initiatives and influence cross-border environmental policy and ocean governance.
Curtis Akapini Apegwine is an Earth observation data scientist from Ghana. He holds a BSc in Marine Science from the University of Ghana. His research is focused on fields such as satellite oceanography, maritime surveillance, and marine biogeochemistry. Apegwine’s goal is to drive global capacity-building initiatives and influence cross-border environmental policy and ocean governance.
Michael Cibuzor Okere is a researcher from Nigeria with an interdisciplinary background in geology and marine science. He holds an MSc from the University of Lagos, where he researched marine pollution and management. He is studying marine and coastal environmental science at the Federal University of Technology, Akure. His core research interests span estuarine and coastal ecosystem dynamics, blue carbon assessment, and marine environmental monitoring and conservation. Okere aims to earn a doctorate in ocean science and to contribute to national and regional capacity development in coastal and ocean monitoring, scientific training, and evidence-based ocean advocacy.
Michael Cibuzor Okere is a researcher from Nigeria who holds an MSc from the University of Lagos. His research spans estuarine and coastal ecosystem dynamics, blue carbon assessment, and marine environmental monitoring and conservation. Okere’s goal is to help build capacity in coastal and ocean monitoring, scientific training, and evidence-based ocean advocacy.
Mai Mohammed Hussein Ahmed is a marine scientist and teaching assistant at Suez Canal University in Egypt, where she earned a BSc in Biotechnology and Marine Ecology and an MSc in Marine Ecology. Her research is focused on marine ecology, coral reef health, marine ecosystem restoration, and spatial and temporal patterns in marine ecosystems. During her MSc, Ahmed investigated the ecological and microbiological aspects of coral disease on coral health in the Red Sea. She aims to bring together marine ecological research, physical oceanography, and predictive modelling to advance our understanding of how environmental and climate-driven changes affect marine ecosystems.
Mai Mohammed Hussein Ahmed is a marine scientist and teaching assistant at Suez Canal University in Egypt, where she earned an MSc in Marine Ecology. Her research focus includes marine ecology, coral reef health, and marine ecosystem restoration. Ahmed aims to contribute to the conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems.
Cynthia Merab Ooko is an environmental and marine scientist who is pursuing an MSc in Hydrobiology at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, where she completed a BSc in Environmental Conservation and Natural Resources Management. Her research is focused on marine pollution, microplastics, ocean processes, environmental protection, and deep-sea mining exploration. She has a particular interest in microplastic contamination of coastal waters and fish tissue along the Kenyan coast. Her long-term goal is to advance marine conservation, environmental impact assessment, and responsible ocean governance through her research, while supporting greater African participation in international ocean research.
Cynthia Merab Ooko is an environmental and marine scientist pursuing an MSc in Hydrobiology at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Her research explores microplastic contamination in coastal waters and fish tissue along the Kenyan coast. She hopes to contribute to marine research and environmental protection in the Western Indian Ocean and Africa.
Abdinasir Abdulle Mohamed is a researcher from Somalia who holds a master’s degree in Fisheries Management and Conservation from City University of Mogadishu. He has worked with government institutions, fisheries cooperatives, and fishing companies. Mohamed’s research is focused on coastal fisheries, marine debris, and fisheries gear. He aims to develop his research, data analysis, and ocean observation skills to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities. He is also developing a digital fish delivery platform that will promote sustainable seafood consumption.
Abdinasir Abdulle Mohamed is a researcher from Somalia who holds a master’s degree in Fisheries Management and Conservation from City University of Mogadishu. His research is focused on coastal fisheries, marine debris, and fisheries gear. He aims to develop his research, data analysis, and ocean observation skills to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Md Abu Yousuf Prodhan is an early-career oceanographer from Bangladesh. He holds a bachelor and master’s degree in oceanography from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. Prodhan’s research is focused on physical oceanography, including large-scale ocean circulation, coastal dynamics, transport processes, air-sea dynamics, and marine conservation and policy. Prodhan aims to build his physical oceanography skills to better understand the Bay of Bengal. By bringing together field observations, satellite data, and numerical models, he seeks to improve the ability to predict changes in this region for the benefit of coastal communities.
Md Abu Yousuf Prodhan is an oceanographer from Bangladesh who holds a master’s degree in Oceanography from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on physical oceanography. He aims to build his skills to better understand the Bay of Bengal and improve predictions of changes in this region.
Tomilyn Jan Garpa is an early-career marine biologist from the Philippines. She holds an MSc in Marine Science from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Her research is focused on the ecology and biology of commercially important seagrass-associated invertebrates such as sea cucumbers and sea urchins. She has also investigated factors that affect harmful algal bloom species in coastal areas in the Philippines. Her goal is to continue her coastal ecosystems studies, which will benefit small-scale fishers by offering them sustainable approaches to fishing and ocean farming.
Tomilyn Jan Garpa is a marine biologist from the Philippines who holds an MSc in Marine Science from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She is focused on studying the ecology and biology of seagrass-associated invertebrates. Her goal is to continue studying coastal ecosystems and sustainable fishing and ocean farming approaches.
