My research interests include biological invasions, genomics, ecology, microbial ecology, and seagrass biology. My Ph.D. dissertation investigated the ecological dynamics and evolutionary origins of a globally invasive seagrass, and the interactions with native flora to explain how it has expanded and flourished across its invaded range. As an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology in the Environmental Epigenetics Lab (EELab), my research focuses on the epigenetic mechanisms that drive biological invasions. More specifically, address how a successful invasive seagrass acclimates and adapts to a changing climate. The outcomes of this research will determine which factors and habitat characteristics modify gene function and promote invasion success. As I have matriculated in the field of marine science I’ve noticed that representation matters. I became an entrepreneur, and co-founder of a training and consulting company (AWOCSpace, LLC) where we create safe spaces for women of color to exist in the workplace. My lifelong goal is to advance scientific research, as well as increase the number of people of color conducting marine science.
Florida International University
Kelcie Chiquillo Ph.D.
Research Fields
- Epigenetics
- Omics
- Cnidarian Biology
- Molecular Ecology
- Evolution
- Symbiosis
- Global Change
- Adaptation
