Julissa I. Irizarry
Julissa I. Irizarry is a PhD student at Penn State University’s Ecology Program. She has a Master’s Degree in Zoology from North Carolina State University, and has previously worked for the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and served as Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Ornithological Society. Her primary research interests are in avian conservation, particularly in heavily fragmented, human dominated landscapes. Her previous work has focused on the habitat connectivity and permeability of fragmented landscapes for forest dwelling birds in Southwestern Puerto Rico. She is a member of Dr. Tomás Carlo’s Lab at Penn State, and focuses on urban ecology of residential neighborhoods in Puerto Rico. Her ultimate goal is to design effective urban restoration projects that incorporate local communities in the conservation process.