Andrea Cahuana has a Bachelor's Degree in Ecological Tourism and came to CDF in 2012 as a local volunteer while finishing her third level studies.

She worked in the Herbarium, Botany area where she became interested in the conservation of the flora and fauna of the Galapagos. In 2014, she joined the project "CONTROL OF THE HIGHLY INVASIVE FLY, PHILORNIS DOWNSI AND ITS REDUCTION OF ITS IMPACT ON THREATENED BIRDS - COMPONENT 1 (STUDIES OF THEIR BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL TECHNIQUES)" in which she is currently working.

As a Research Assistant, she is responsible for field activities including monitoring Philornis downsi populations and trials to test attractants developed by our collaborators at SUNY-ESF, as well as assisting in Philornis downsi breeding efforts at the laboratory.