María Gowland, PhD

Born and raised in Ushuaia, María holds a PhD in biological sciences from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). She studied for her undergraduate degree in the Patagonian city of Puerto Madryn and returned to Ushuaia to carry out her PhD research for her dissertation in fishery and the reproductive biology of the Beagle Channel King Crab. María has been a member of the Marine Crustaceans Laboratory of the Austral Center for Scientific Research since 2010. She has extensive fieldwork experience in marine and coastal areas.

During her dissertation research, María formed close connections with the Tierra del Fuego fishing sector. This allowed her to observe and reflect on the different realities that often cause socio-environmental conflict. María’s research interests include the perspectives, knowledge, and needs of the fishing sector and other stakeholders in a fundamental partnership for real success in natural resource management.

Since 2012, María has been a math, ecology, conservation, and science professor at the National University of Tierra de Fuego and supervised students in field and laboratory internships. In addition to her academic work, María enjoys pottery, dance, and cycling. Her academic interests and personal connections with Ushuaia communities and the surrounding areas intersect perfectly for this program.

Education

• PhD, University of Buenos Aires