I studied Biology at the University of Costa Rica, where I received my master degree in 2010. Since 2005, I have been working as an orchid researcher at the Lankester Botanical Garden (JBL) of the University of Costa Rica. During my first years at JBL, I participated in the project Conservation and Monitoring of Meso-American orchids, a Darwin Initiative project developed in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. I developed several projects in taxonomy, systematics and evolution of Neotropical Orchidaceae in Costa Rica and Panama.
I am a member of the Committee of Representatives of the CITES Scientific Authorities of Costa Rica and Research Associate, of the herbarium UCH, Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí, Panama. Between 2015 and 2019, I obtained my PhD at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University and the University of Costa Rica.
Keywords
Biogeography, diversifications, evolution of morphological traits, genomics, taxonomy, systematics, Orchidaceae, pollination
Researchinterest
I am particularly interested in the biology, evolution and systematics of Neotropical Orchidaceae. I am working on floristic projects in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador.
Botanical illustration, digital plant documentation, taxonomy, biogeography, phylogenetics and in situ conservation thorough floristic projects in national parks are also topics of my interest. I am currently a PhD candidate of Leiden University, where I study the biogeography and evolution of Lepanthes, one of the most diverse Neotropical orchid genera under supervision of Dr. Barbara Gravendeel and Prof.Dr. Erik Smets. The goal of this PhD study is to obtain more insight in the systematics, biogeography and pollination of a very diverse group of epiphytic Neotropical orchids by employing molecular phylogenetics, microscopy, and chemical analyses of orchid flowers and behavioral studies of pollinators.
Currenttopics
A selection of the topics I am working on currently.
- Taxonomy and systematics of Neotropical Orchidaceae with emphasis on Costa Rica and Panama
- Phylogenetics and diversification of the Orchidaceae
- Species distributions and in-situ conservation
Collaborations
- Oscar A. Pérez Escobar, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK
- Javier Igea de Castro, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University, IK
- Zuleika Serracín and Zabdy Samudio, Herbarium UCH, Autonomous University of Chiriquí, Panama.