American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

Dante Romero
Florida Atlantic University

I am a Spanish - Native American born and raised in northern and central New Mexico. Throughout my childhood I was fascinated by aquatic life, specifically regarding trophic systems. I was able to maintain my inquisitive mindset through high school, motivating me to leave the desert and earn a bachelor’s in biology from Florida Atlantic University. My intention has always been to contribute to marine megafauna conservation initiatives through scientific inquiry. During my time at the institution, I was awarded the opportunity to work with elasmobranchs hands-on and encouraged to participate in multiple ongoing projects in the FAU Biomechanics lab. My recent work examines the swimming kinematics of individual buccal pumping sharks from aerial video. I plan to work in the field of environmental sciences in addition to pursuing a master’s degree in marine biology and oceanography. I hope to inspire individuals of underrepresented demographics to pursue education and careers in marine science, which may produce more encompassing research that could help improve the scientific community at large.

Emily Louise Bierbaum
University of Tulsa

Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, my father had a great love for the outdoors taking me camping and fishing with my brothers where I would spend my time catching frogs. At a young age I knew I had a passion for animals, but as a first-generation college student it was difficult knowing which universities to apply for as well as the application process. Although my parents had limited knowledge on college and scholarship applications, I was fortunate to encounter professors at the schools I attended who helped me with those limitations.

I began my academic career as a double major student in biology and animal ecology at Iowa State University studying the population dynamics of leopard frogs. I then attended Southeastern Louisiana University and completed my master's degree researching the homology of mesopodial skeletal elements and digit number in salamanders, and the comparison to amphiumid salamanders. I am now a PhD student at the University of Tulsa evaluating visual pigments across salamanders. My goal is to become a professor and help mentor underrepresented groups in STEM to help facilitate their transition into academia.

Miguel Montalvo Camacho
Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Although I have always been passionate about science and the natural world, the road that led me to ichthyology is a bit more sinuous than that of most people. I originally graduated with a degree in marketing. Later, mainly through volunteer work and internships, I met awesome friends who have encouraged me to pursue my passions and some that have become my ichthyological mentors – shout out to my dear friends at the National Museum of Natural History. Although I have lived a relatively comfortable and privileged life, as a foreign national – proudly Colombian – and a gay guy, I have noticed the hardships that people in diverse communities often endure. I am an almost brand-new graduate student in Dr. Eric Hilton’s lab at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and my first semester this spring has taught me that I am in the right place because I love working with all the fishes. This is going to be my first conference ever and I am very thankful for ASIH’s support through this award

Nicole Rahman-Garnier
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt

I am a master’s student attending California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, under the advice of Dr. Allison Bronson. My current research focus is the anatomy and morphology of the nasal rosette of anadromous and resident Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and possible variations between sexes, life histories, and as the fish ages. I plan to pursue a Ph.D. program to expand my research to ecomorphological studies on other salmonid species along the Pacific Coast.

Growing up in the Adirondacks, I never lived closed to the ocean, yet I have always been enthralled and enchanted by the sea. I spent endless summers scavenging rivers, lakes, and gorge streams for aquatic life, intriguing algae, and unique rocks. My love of fish arose later through ichthyology and ecology coursework and labs. I noticed that I often stood alone in both field jobs and the classroom as the only black woman. This fact has inspired me to work towards increasing diversity and visibility for underrepresented groups. I currently have and have had excellent mentors to guide me. I want to be a proponent of developing DEI programs that support historically marginalized students pursuing careers in fisheries and marine sciences.