Profiles

Marcela has a bachelor's degree in Biology and a MS in Astronomy from the National University of Colombia (Bogotá).

 

She is currently working with Dr. Jody Deming on the protective strategies of microbes inhabiting the extreme environments of Arctic sea ice. She has an ongoing interest in science outreach and is a Pacific Science Center Fellow since 2009. 

 

Her research focuses on the protective role of extracellular substances from sea-ice organisms against the low temperatures and high salinities characteristic of the sea-ice environment. Understanding how sea-ice microorganisms survive extremes of low temperature and high salinity brings insight into the habitability of icy environments elsewhere.