Alex Davis |
I am African American and I am a marine spatial ecologist with interests in equity and diversity in conservation sciences.
Black Ecologists Matter. I have spent my entire career as a scientist without a single African American teacher, adviser, or mentor to interact with. My goal is to make sure that young scientist always have a role model to engage with. I originally went to college to get an English degree, however after I graduated I quickly realized that I really wanted to study the ocean. Since I spent my undergraduate years lifeguarding, swimming and playing water polo I felt it was the right thing to do. Once I started my degree in Marine Science at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) I began working in the Seafloor Mapping Lab helping to create high resolution bathymetry maps used to create Marine Protected Areas in California. I was also a Ronald E. McNair scholar, which gave me the opportunity to intern in a few different labs. I got my SCUBA certifications and became a science diver. Now I use a combination of my skills with diving, GIS and spatial ecology to address issues with marine invasive species. I am currently finishing my dissertation on the distribution of lionfish in the Bahamas and examining their interactions with habitat and other species at multiple scales. When I am not sciencing I spend my time between water polo, Brazilian jiu jitsu, lifting weights, and running. I also spend a lot of time at home with my cats, crocheting, reading, watching sci-fi movies/TV and eating tacos and popcorn. |