Anna has always been fascinated by the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest. Her desire to protect these unique ecosystems motivated her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with the support of a SENESCYT scholarship awarded by the government of Ecuador. She also holds a master’s degree with a specialization in Conservation Planning and a focus on Environmental Data Science from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. For her master’s thesis, she worked with a multidisciplinary team and the World Wildlife Fund to develop a mapping web-based tool to assist with aquaculture planning strategies. As a Research Assistant for the Galapagos Verde 2050 project, Anna hopes to apply her conservation and data analysis skills to restore endangered plant species and the terrestrial ecosystems of the Galapagos.