Gabriela is a second-year Ph.D. student at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Under the supervision of Prof. James Bell, she is working on temperate marine sponges in the northern (Ireland) and southern hemispheres (New Zealand). Her research is focused on how temperate marine sponges respond to increased nutrients and temperature in light of climate change. Pursuing a Ph.D. at her age (her colleagues are on average 20 years younger than she) was a risk she was willing to take, not only to further her understanding of the natural world, but also to return to the roots of her love of the oceans, to reset, and to gain the experience necessary to pursue the role of a research faculty member at a four-year university setting. This grant will allow her to fund part of her research and ultimately bring Gabriela closer to her goal.

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