MAYA MUNSTERMANN Maya Munstermann is pursuing her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley with research focusing on the effects of climate change and marine heatwave events on kelp forest ecosystems. Through a variety of methods, such as SCUBA field sampling, genomics, experimental, and statistical modeling, she is interested to uncover how warming oceans are playing a role in ecosystem shifts from kelp-dominated states to urchin barrens. Her studies focus on purple sea urchins from both the larval and benthic adult life history stage perspectives and how rising temperatures, food availability, and habitat of origin influence resilience or vulnerabilities to climate change. Her work directly relates to marine conservation and management practices along the California coastline. EDUCATION Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley; Integrative Biology; 2024-present Florida State University; Biological Science; 2021-2023
M.Sc. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo; 2017-2019 Tropical Conservation Biology & Environmental Sciences B.Sc. University of Connecticut, Storrs; 2013-2017 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (minors: Environmental Studies, Mandarin Chinese Language & Culture)