MESM 2025
Pronouns: she/her
Bio
Sophia Lecuona is passionate about fisheries management and science communication. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology in 2022. In the Kuris Parasitology Lab, she led a team of undergraduates to conduct research on a newly introduced copepod that consumes the eggs of rock crabs. Her team was awarded a grant from the Coastal Fund, and she allocated funds to crab husbandry, conference registrations, and publication costs. Sophia was honored with the "Best Student Presentation Award" at the 2022 International Conference on Copepoda and the 2023 Southern California Academy of Sciences meeting, strengthening her enthusiasm for effectively communicating scientific discoveries to both fellow scientists and the broader public. Her team was also invited to present at the Ecological Society of America (ESA) meeting in 2023. As Sophia researched the rock crab fishery further, she was alarmed to find it was limited in data and needed improved management protocols. Sophia pursued the Bren School to deepen her understanding of resource management and the interdisciplinary aspects of sustainability within aquatic ecosystems. She is specializing in Coastal Resource Management with a focus on Strategic Environmental Communication and Media. Her goal is to research best practices for fisheries management as a means to contribute to a more equitable food system.