I completed a BSc in Biological sciences at Pontifical Catholic University (Chile) in (2007-2011). I them worked on forest regeneration after fires in a temperate rainforest in southern Chile (2012). Later, I completed my PhD at The University of Western Australia (2012-2016). My PhD focused on how root symbionts, such as mycorrhizal fungi change over ecosystem development in a biodiversity hotspot. The most interesting finding of my thesis was the role of both mycorrhizal fungi and soil-borne pathogens in plant coexistence and potential in plant diversity. Currently, I’ve joined Oregon State University as a postdoc evaluating the role of native oomycetes in structuring plant communities in a temperate forest in southern Washington. This study will identify the native oomycete community, their host range, and their role in plant coexistence.
