Curriculum vitę

CURRENT AFFILIATION

Massachusetts Institute of Technology & Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography, Shank Lab. of Deep-Sea Molecular Ecology and Evolution

E-mail: sherrera@whoi.edu OR sherrera@mit.edu

 

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology & Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography, Biological Oceanography, expected 2014

M.Sc. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia, Biological Sciences, 2009

B.Sc. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia, Biology, 2008

B.Sc. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia, Microbiology, 2008

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Oceanography, evolutionary biology, adaptation, molecular systematics, phylogenomics, population connectivity, and bio/phylogeography of marine organisms; conservation of deep-sea ecosystems, worldwide. Ocean exploration.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

-     Workshop on Genomics, Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic. 2012

-     Workshop on Molecular Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA. 2009

-     Advanced SCUBA Diver (PADI), diving frequently since 2002. San Andres, Colombia. 2003

 

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society 2007; Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB) 2008; American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2009; The Oceanography Society (TOS) 2010; American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2010; American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) 2011.

AWARDS & HONORS

-     Ocean Life Institute and Deep Ocean Exploration Institute award, WHOI. Co-PI Tim Shank. 2011.

-     Ocean Ventures Fund Award, WHOI. 2011.

-     Outstanding Student Paper award, AGU 2010 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California. 2010.

-     WHOI Graduate Research Fellowship. 2009-Present.

-     Smithsonian Graduate Fellowship, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. 2008-2009.

-     Foundation for the Promotion of Research and Technology travel grant, Bank of the Republic of Colombia. 2008.

-     Systematics Research Fund award, Systematics Association & the Linnean Society of London. 2008.

-     11^th ICRS (International Coral Reef Symposium) scholarship. 2008.

-     CenSeam (Global Census of Marine Life on Seamounts CenSeam– part of the worldwide Census of Marine Life CoML) grant. Co-PI Juan A. Sanchez. 2007.

-     Sigma Xi Grant-In-Aid of Research. 2007.

-     Research Training Program-RTP program of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Funded by the Alice Eve Kennington fund. 2007.

 

POSITIONS

-     Graduate Research Assistant, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA. Supervisor: Timothy Shank. 2009-Present.

-     Fellow; Smithsonian Graduate Fellowship, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Invertebrate Zoology Department & Laboratories of Analytical Biology, Washington, DC. Supervisors: Stephen D. Cairns and Allen G. Collins 2008-2009.

-     Intern; United States Antarctic Program, Marine Invertebrate Collections. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Invertebrate Zoology Department. Washington, DC. Supervisors: Rafael Lemaitre, Jerry Harasewych, and Jennifer Hammock. 2008.

-     Fellow; External Fellowship, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Invertebrate Zoology Department & Laboratories of Analytical Biology. Washington, DC. Supervisors: Stephen D. Cairns, Allen G. Collins and Juan A. Sanchez. 2008.

-     Intern; Research Training Program (RTP) of the National Museum of Natural History, SmithsonianInstitution, Invertebrate Zoology Department & Laboratories of Analytical Biology. Washington, DC. Supervisors: Stephen D. Cairns and Allen G. Collins. 2007.

-     Research Collaborator at the Molecular Marine Biology Lab, Biological Sciences Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. 2006-Present.

 

PUBLICATIONS

-     Shank T.M., E.T Baker, R.W. Embley, S. Hammond, J.F. Holden, S. White, S.L. Walker, M. Calderi³n, S. Herrera, T.J. Lin, C. Munro, T. Heyl, L.C. Stewart, M. Malik, E. Lobecker & J. Potter (2011) Exploration of the Deepwater Galapagos Region. Oceanography 25 Suppl. : 50-51.

-     Shank T.M., Herrera S., Cho W., Roman C.N., Bell K.L.C. (2011) Exploration of the Anaximander Mud Volcanoes. Oceanography 24: 22-23.

-     Herrera S., A. Baco & J.A. Sanchez (2010) Molecular systematics of the bubblegum coral genera (Paragorgiidae, Octocorallia) and description of a new deep-sea species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 55: 123-125

-     Sanchez J.A., S. Herrera, R. Navas-Camacho, A. Rodri­guez-Rami­rez, P. Herron, V. Pizarro, A.R. Acosta, P.A. Castillo, P. Montoya & C.  Orozco (2010) White plague-like coral disease in remote reefs of the Western Caribbean. Revista de Biologia Tropical, 58 (Suppl. 1): 145-154.

-     Herrera S, C.A. Hernandez & E. Bahamon (2008) Gerreros Fantasmales: comportamiento competitivo en el cangrejo Ocypode gaudicaudii de la isla Gorgona (Ghostly Warriors: competitive behavior of the crab Ocypode gaudicaudii in the Gorgona island). Revista Hipotesis: apuntes cientificos uniandinos. Universidad de los Andes. Bogota. (9): 34-35.

-     Herrera S. & J.A. Sanchez (in prep.) Spatial patterns of genetic variation in the widespread bubblegum coral Paragorgia arborea.

-     Herrera S. & J.A. Sanchez (in prep.) Phylogenetic Systematics of the deep-sea octocoral genus Paragorgia (Paragorgiidae, Octocorallia).

-     Herrera S., S.D. Cairns, T.D. Peard, T. Jankowski, C. Lewis & A.G. Collins (in prep.) Freshwater Jellyfishes: Molecular diversity and phylogeny of the cosmopolitan hydrozoans, Craspedacusta spp.

 

AD HOC JOURNAL REVIEWER

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.

PRESENTATIONS

-     Herrera S., J.A. Sanchez & T.M. Shank (2012), Are there true nearly cosmopolitan cold-water coral species? Talk to be presented at the 5^th International Deep-Sea Coral Symposium, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

-     Shank T.M., W. Cho, S. Herrera, T. Heyl, C. Munro, E. Cordes, A. Quattrini, P-Y. Hsing, A. Demopolous & C. Fisher (2012), Biodiversity in coral ecosystems from the deep Gulf of Mexico: coral-symbiont relationships and genetic connectivity. Talk to be presented at the 5^th International Deep-Sea Coral Symposium, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

-     Herrera S., J.A. Sanchez & T.M. Shank (2012), Spatial Patterns Of Genetic Variation In The Widespread Cold-Water Bubblegum Coral Paragorgia arborea. Abstract 12829 talk presented at the 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting, AGU/TOS/ASLO, Salt Lake City, UT, 19-24 Feb.

-     Shank T.M., J.F. Holden, S. Herrera, C. Munro, T.H. Muric, J. Lin & L. Stewart (2011), Discovery of Nascent Vents and Recent Colonization Associated with (Re)activated Hydrothermal Vent Fields by the GALREX 2011 Expedition on the Galapagos Rift. Abstract OS22A-07 talk presented at the 2011 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 5-9 Dec.

-     Herrera S., T. Shank, E. Bors, C. Munro, E. Sibert, N. Nganro, S. Makarim, S. Wirasantosa, V. Tunnicliffe, E. T. Baker, D. A. Butterfield, J. F. Holden, S. R. Hammond (2010), Hydrothermal Vents and Organic Falls in the Heart of the Coral Triangle: Chemosynthetic Communities Discovered via Telepresence in the Sangihe-Talaud Region, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Abstract OS11D-04 talk presented at the 2010 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 13-17 Dec.

-     Herrera S., C. Munro, N. Nganro, V. Tunnicliffe, S. Wirasantosa, E. Sibert, S. R. Hammond, E. Bors, D. Butterfield, J. F. Holden, E. T. Baker, J. Sherrin, S. Makarim, R. Troa, T. M. Shank (2010), Biodiversity of the Deep-Sea Benthic Fauna in the Sangihe-Talaud Region, Indonesia: Observations from the INDEX-SATAL 2010 Expedition. Abstract OS13C-1234 poster presented at the 2010 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 13-17 Dec.

-     Butterfield D.A., J.F. Holden, T.M. Shank, V. Tunnicliffe, J. Sherrin, S. Herrera, E.T. Baker, D. Lovalvo, S. Makarim, M.A. Malik, S. Wirasantosa, S. R. Hammond (2010) Video Observations by Telepresence Reveal Two Types of Hydrothermal Venting on Kawio Barat Seamount. Abstract OS13C-1236 poster presented at the 2010 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 13-17 Dec.

-     Herrera S. (2010), Biological Observations in the INDEX-SATAL 2010 Expedition. Talk presented at Deep-Sea Exploration in Sangihe-Talaud 2010 (INDEX-SATAL 2010) Scientific Results Colloquium, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

-     Herrera S. (2010), Deep-sea biogeographical patterns in the Sangihe-Talaud region. Talk presented at the Indonesia-US Science Team Workshop, Deep-Sea Exploration in Sangihe-Talaud 2010 (INDEX-SATAL 2010), Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

-     Herrera S, J.A. Sanchez & A. Baco-Taylor (2008), Evolution in the Bubblegum Octocorals: DNA vs. Morphology. Poster presented at the 4^th International Deep-Sea Coral Symposium, University of Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand.

-     Herrera S. & Sanchez J.A. (2008), On the White Plague Disease in Corals, With Remarks on the Interactions Between Disease, Environment and Host. 7.208 poster presented at the 11^th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

-     Sanchez J.A., C. Granados, D. Dorado, N. Ardila, N. Manrique, L. Duei±as, O. Torres, M. Cardenas, S. Herrera, C. Agudelo (2008) Intragenomic ITS2 Variation: Low Rates Of Concerted Evolution Are Concordant With Recent Species Radiations in Reef Octocorals. Talk presented at the 11^th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

-     Herrera S., A.G. Collins, S.D. Cairns, T. Jankowski, T.L. Peard (2008), Molecular Diversity of the Freshwater Medusa Craspedacusta sowerbii (Hydrozoa, Olindiasidae). Talk presented at the Evolution Meeting 2008, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

 

INVITED SEMINARS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

-     Herrera S (2011), Deep-sea Biology and Exploration in the Age of Genomics. Talk presented at Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

-     Herrera S (2011), Deep-sea biology: applications and challenges. Talk presented at institutional visit of BP plc. to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA.

-     Northeast Atlantic Deep-Sea Coral Research Priorities Workshop, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab, Sandy Hook, NJ. August 8-10, 2011.

 

SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIONS

-     Scientist and event logger (telepresent). R/V Okeanos Explorer, ROV Little Hercules, EX1202 legs 2 and 3, cruise: GoMEX 2012: Gulf of Mexico Exploration. March 19 – April 29, 2012. Gulf of Mexico, USA. Chief scientist: Tim Shank (WHOI)

-     Scientist and event logger. M/V Holiday Chouest, ROV UHD-34, NRDA Deepwater ROV Sampling to Assess Potential Impacts to Hardbottom Coral Communities and Associates from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. September 30 – October 10, 2011. Gulf of Mexico. Chief scientist: Charles Fisher  (Penn. State U.)

-     Scientist and event logger (telepresent). R/V Okeanos Explorer, ROV Little Hercules, EX1103 leg 2, cruise: GALREX 2011: Galapagos Rift Expedition 2011. July 7 – July 29, 2011. Galapagos Rift, Ecuador. Chief scientist: Tim Shank (WHOI)

-     Scientist, event logger and CTD logger. RSS James Cook, ROV Isis, JC055 Cruise: Chemosynthetic Ecosystems of the Southern Ocean: exploring deep-sea vents around Antarctica. January 13 – February 24, 2011. Bransfield strait, Sandwich backarc and East Scotia Ridge, Southern Ocean, Antarctica. Chief scientist: Paul Tyler (NOCS)

-     Scientist and dive lead (telepresent). E/V Nautilus, ROV Hercules, NA010, cruise: Nautilus 2010, Anaximander Seamounts. September 19 – October 1, 2010. Anaximander Seamounts, Turkey. Chief scientists: Tim Shank (WHOI) and Robert Ballard (URI)

-     Lead Scientist and event logger (on-board). R/V Okeanos Explorer, ROV Little Hercules, EX1004 leg 3, cruise: INDEX-SATAL 2010: Indonesia-USA Deep-Sea Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Region. July 21 – August 7, 2010. Sangihe Talaud, Indonesia. Chief scientist: Tim Shank (WHOI)

-     Scientist and event logger (telepresent). R/V Okeanos Explorer, ROV Little Hercules, EX1004 leg 2, cruise: INDEX-SATAL 2010: Indonesia-USA Deep-Sea Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Region. June 24 – July 14, 2010. Sangihe Talaud, Indonesia. Chief scientist: Jim Holden (U. Mass.)

-     Scientist and event logger. R/V Tangaroa, Deep Towed Camera System DTIS (NIWA), KARMA TAN1007 Cruise: Kermadec ARc MinerAls. May 29 – June 11, 2010. Kermadec arc, New Zealand. Chief scientist: Malcom Clark (NIWA).

-     Scientist and event logger. R/V Ronald H. Brown, ROV Jason II, Lophellia II 2009 Cruise: Deepwater Coral Expedition: Reefs, Rigs, and Wrecks. August 18 – September 5, 2009. Gulf of Mexico, USA. Co-chief scientists: Charles Fisher (Penn. State U.) and Erik Cordes (Temple U.)

 

TEACHING

-     Guest Lecturer undergraduate course Introduction to Ocean Sciences. Gordon University, Wenham, Massachusetts. 2011.

-     Mentor, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA. Training of WHOI summer fellows (2) and visiting students (2) in molecular techniques: DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing, and data analysis. 2010 & 2011.

-     Guest Lecturer graduate course Bioinformatics. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. 2009.

-     Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Phylogenetic Systematics laboratory. Developed and delivered syllabus, weekly lectures, exams and problem sets. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. 2009.

-     Teaching assistant and tutor of the Marine Ecology class and laboratory, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. 2007.

-     Teaching assistant and tutor of the Phylogenetic Systematics class and laboratory, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. 2007.

-     Teaching assistant and tutor of the Cell Biology class laboratory, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. Supervisor. 2006.

 

OTHER ACTIVITIES

-     Student Representative and President of the MIT/WHOI Joint Program Student Organization for the MIT Association of Student Activities. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA. 2011-2012.

-     Web manager and co-developer, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA. http://sba.whoi.edu, Barcoding Seamount Life, Seamount Barcoding Association. 2010-Present.

-     Member and Volunteer at the Natural History Museum of the Universidad de los Andes, Herbarium, Botany and Systematics Laboratory. Bogota, Colombia. 2006-2007.

-     Volunteer Forest Ranger at the Tayrona Natural National Park, National Natural Parks of Colombia-PNN, Colombian Department of Environment, Magdalena, Colombia. 2004-2005.

 

OUTREACH

Weblogs

-   Discovery of the Tempus fugit Vent Field, Heyl C, Herrera S, Munro T & Shank T (2011) Signature Exploration: Galapagos Rift Expedition 2011, GALREX 2011, NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. July 24, 2011.

-   Exploring the Paramount Seamounts, Munro C, Herrera S & Heyl T (2011) Signature Exploration: Galapagos Rift Expedition 2011, GALREX 2011, NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. July 14, 2011.

-     High Biodiversity in the Deep-Sea, Herrera S (2010) Signature Exploration: Indonesia-USA Deep-Sea Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Regions, NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. July 11, 2010.

-   Coral reefs in the deep sea, Herrera S (2010) KARMA Cruise: Kermadec ARc MinerAls, CenSeam, Census of Marine Life on Seamounts, Census of Marine Life. June, 2010.

-   Seeing it First Hand!, Herrera S (2009), Signature Exploration: Lophelia II 2009: Deepwater Coral Expedition: Reefs, Rigs and Wrecks, NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. August 23, 2009

 

Public seminars

-     Deep-sea Coral Biogeography and Evolution in the Age of Genomics, Herrera S (2011), WHOI Fall Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees and Corporation, WHOI. October 2011.

-     Recent Discoveries of Benthic Biodiversity via Telepresence in the Deep-Sea, Herrera S (2011), Ocean Science Journalism Fellowship, WHOI. September 2011.

-     A Journey into Inner Space with WHOI – Galapagos Rift Live Event, Herrera S, Shank TM, Larry Madin & Dan Fornari (2011) NOAA Signature Exploration GALREX 2011, event with prospective donors, WHOI. July 2011.

-     Live from the Galapagos Rift, Herrera S & Shank TM (2011) NOAA Signature Explorations: INDEX-SATAL 2010 and GALREX 2011, Peanut Butter Club, WHOI. July 2011.

-     Deep Water Corals: Importance, Diversity & Relevance, Herrera S (2010), WHOI Fall Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees and Corporation, Ocean Life Institute, WHOI. October 2010.

 

K-12 Activities

-     Associate Teacher, Science 8 5-6 (W), Madawaska Middle/High School, Madawaska, MA. Fall 2010-Spring 2011.

-     Judge, Falmouth Public Schools Science Fair 2011, Falmouth MA.

 

 

Media Features

-    Scientific American, Indonesia expedition maps rich undersea life, 2010.

-     MSNBC News, Coral Triangle trip reveals possible new marine species, 2010.

-     NOAA News, U.S. and Indonesian Scientists Find Biodiversity Runs Deep in Sulawesi Sea, 2010.