Meet our Team

PhD Candidate,

Arizona State University

Kayla Burgher is a PhD Candidate in Environmental Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Her research integrates quantitative modeling, bycatch reduction technologies, and community-based conservation to assess and mitigate bycatch of sea turtles and elasmobranchs. Kayla works in coastal gillnet and pound net fisheries in North Carolina and Mexico. She also co-hosts the SciChronicles Podcast.

PhD Candidate,
Arizona State University

Janie Reavis is a PhD Candidate in Biology at Arizona State University. Her dissertation focuses on the behavioral responses of sea turtles to fishing gear and bycatch reduction technologies. Janie aims to understand why and how bycatch reduction technologies, specifically net illumination, reduce sea turtle bycatch in small-scale fisheries by conducting controlled laboratory trials with wild-caught sea turtles.

PhD Candidate,
Arizona State University

Cindy Vargas is a National Science Foundation research fellow and a PhD candidate in the Environmental Life Sciences program at Arizona State University. Her research centers on improving fisheries sustainability by better understanding the human dimensions of fisheries and bycatch reduction solutions. Cindy conducts social-ecological research on Isla El Pardito, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

PhD Candidate,
Arizona State University

Teal Guetschow is a PhD Candidate in Biology and Society at Arizona State University. Her research investigates the role of leatherback turtle nest density on hatching success and net illumination to reduce leatherback bycatch in Trinidad. She hopes to identify effective conservation solutions to recover this globally iconic species.

PhD student,

Arizona State University

Teagan Keating is a PhD student in Ocean Futures at Arizona State University. Her work focuses on sea turtle behavior, particularly social interactions between sea turtles and the ecological consequences of these interactions. Teagan is additionally exploring net interaction dynamics in pound net fisheries in North Carolina.

PhD student,

Arizona State University

Calyn Hart is a PhD student in Ocean Futures at Arizona State University. Her research will investigate new solutions to mitigate the effects of plastic pollution and fisheries bycatch on sea turtles, sharks, and cetaceans. She has worked in local government and nonprofit spaces and hopes to connect her research findings to policy.

PhD student,

Arizona State University

Jasmine Abe is a PhD student in Biology & Society at ASU, where she is co-advised by the Cooper Lab. Her research involves developing novel underwater camera systems to assess bycatch, testing sensory-based bycatch reduction technologies, and exploring human dimensions of fisheries. 

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Victoria Carvajal is a graduate student pursuing her Master’s degree through the 4E track under Arizona State University’s Biology & Society program. Her thesis involves assessing the diverse and complex ecological benefits of Turtle Excluder Devices in global shrimp trawl fisheries.

Masters student,
Arizona State University

Nina Zaynor is a Master’s student in the Biology and Society program at ASU, with a concentration in the Ecology, Economics and Ethics of the Environment track. For her Master’s thesis, she will be assessing the diverse perceptions of multiple stakeholders on leatherback turtles in Trinidad.

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Arveer Maharaj is a Master’s Student in the Coastal and Marine Science and Management program at Arizona State University. His Master’s thesis explores the willingness of residents to adopt turtle-friendly lighting at Grande Riviere, Trinidad & Tobago.

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Andrea Kraetzer is an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s student in Biology at Arizona State University. Her Master’s project will test the optimization of buoy configurations to reduce sea turtle bycatch in gillnet fisheries at Isla El Pardito, Mexico.

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Emily Bowen is an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s student in Biology at Arizona State University. Her Master’s research will consist of testing novel, fisher-invented diamondback terrapin excluder devices in blue crab trap fisheries in North Carolina.

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Teodora Antonic is a Master’s student in the Biology and Society program at Arizona State University. In partnership with MEDASSET, her Master’s project will assess the effects of solar-powered net illumination on sea turtle bycatch in Greece. 

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Siena Webb is an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s student in Biology at Arizona State University. Her Master’s research will examine the complex interactions between leatherback turtle nest density and hatchling fitness in Trinidad and Tobago.

Masters student,

Arizona State University

Madison Landin is an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s student in Biology at Arizona State University. Their Master’s project will assess the effects of net illumination on a diverse assemblage of fish in small-scale estuarine gillnet fisheries in Mexico.