Natalia Uribe Castañeda

University of Florida

Natalia Uribe-Castañeda is a Colombian Fulbright Scholarship recipient with a background in marine management and over 13 years of experience collaborating with coastal communities. Natalia is a biologist with a major in marine biology from the University of Valle, Colombia. She got her master's degree from the Water and Coastal Management Erasmus Mundus program at University of Bologna, University of Cadiz, and University of Algarve. Her work and studies have spanned diverse marine ecosystems across countries such as Colombia, the United States, Belize, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and Italy. She is an Interdisciplinary Ecology Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Florida, focusing on Community Engagement in Coral Reef Restoration. Natalia's research centers on identifying motivational strategies for communities to actively participate in coral reef restoration efforts while addressing potential barriers. Her assessment encompasses community-based coral reef restoration programs within three marine protected areas: the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve in Colombia, the Laughing Bird Caye in Belize, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in the United States.