Carolina César Ávila is pursuing her master’s in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. She’s originally from La Chorrera, Panama, and has a background in Marine Biology from the International Maritime University of Panama. Before joining the lab in August 2025, Carolina worked as a Research Technician in the Smithsonian's Tropical Research Institute, Bocas del Toro, for the Marine GEO Network. Carolina is passionate about coral reef ecosystems; her research interest explores how compound extreme events affect coral physiology. She enjoys diving, photography, longboarding, birdwatching, and spending time with her cat in her free time.

Jonathan Burnap is a master's student that joined the lab in August of 2025. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a bachelor's in environmental science. He is from Richmond, Virginia, and likes to spend his free time outdoors by running, golfing, hiking, and more. Jonathan's research interests focus on marine conservation and impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.