Fernanda Valdovinos

Dr. Valdovinos received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Chile. During her doctoral studies, she conducted research at UC Berkeley, USA, and CSIC in Doñana, Spain, supported by grants she secured independently. Following her PhD, she completed postdoctoral research at the University of Arizona. In 2018, she began her academic career as a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Center for the Study of Complex Systems at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Since July 2020, she has been at UC Davis, where she is affiliated with the Graduate Groups in Ecology, Applied Mathematics, and Population Biology.

 

My research integrates network science and theoretical ecology to study the structure and dynamics of ecosystems under anthropogenic pressures. By combining empirical insights with mathematical modeling, I investigate how ecological networks respond to and adapt within human-modified environments. My work develops mechanistic models that bridge theoretical frameworks with empirical data, which we interrogate using computational methods, mathematical analysis, and biological intuition.