Experience

MINISTERIO DE AMBIENTE Y DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
• Colombia
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Coral restoration advisor - DAMCRA

  • May 2023 - Present


Ecomares

• Germany

• Associate member

  • Feb 2022 - Present

  -Coral reef restoration. -Larval based restoration. -Grant writing -Coral reef restoration. -Larval based restoration. -Grant writing



Blue Indigo Foundation

• Coral restoration biologist

  • Dec 2021 - Present

  - Formulate a Protocol for the evaluation, attention, and restoration of coral reefs after hurricanes in Colombia. - Support coral restoration actions through fragmentation, micro fragmentation, and growth in coral nurseries of different species of corals. - Project formulation and gran writing for coral reefs conservation and restoration. - Formulate a Protocol for the evaluation, attention, and restoration of coral reefs after hurricanes in Colombia. - Support coral restoration actions through fragmentation, micro fragmentation, and growth in coral nurseries of different species of corals. - Project formulation and gran writing for coral reefs conservation and restoration.



SECORE International, Inc.

• United States
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Coral restoration Intern

  • Jul 2021 - Dec 2021

  Internship to assist with laboratory and fieldwork related to coral spawning and restoration. Participating in three main projects: implications of senescence on the reproductive success of critically endangered Acropora palmata, Increasing local coral recruitment rates via direct larval seeding, and Early life mortality in newly settled polyps of the brain coral Colpophyllia natans. - planning and conducting field and laboratory work - collecting coral gametes and rearing coral larvae - conducting ex situ and in situ monitoring of coral settler survival and growth as well as benthic community succession - compiling and analyzing data - assisting with hosting an international training on coral spawning work Show less



TROPIMUNDO - Erasmus Mundus Master Joint Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems

• Master graduated

  • Sep 2019 - Aug 2021

  Thesis: "Evaluation of the sexual reproductive characteristics and spawning of Acropora species in Pulau Bidong, Malaysia". The thesis included a reproductive approach along with species delimitation using molecular biology. Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), Università degli Studi di Firenze (Italy), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (Malaysia) Thesis: "Evaluation of the sexual reproductive characteristics and spawning of Acropora species in Pulau Bidong, Malaysia". The thesis included a reproductive approach along with species delimitation using molecular biology. Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), Università degli Studi di Firenze (Italy), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (Malaysia)



INVEMAR

• Scientific Researcher

  • Jun 2015 - Dec 2018

  Scientific researcher BEC – Biodiversity and marine ecosystem program. -Manage the project of implementation of monitoring and control plans for marine invasive species, especially focusing on Lionfish. - Biodiversity assessments in different marine ecosystems, especially focus on coral reefs in the Caribbean and rocky reefs of the Eastern Tropical Pacific, conducting surveys of the benthic and fish communities. -Marine invertebrates’ status assessments (IUCN criteria). - Participate in different projects related with marine conservation. -Publishing: * Borrero, G and M.J. Vanegas. 2020. Riqueza, composición y distribución de los equinodermos de los riscales y morros del norte del chocó, pacífico colombiano. 232-275. In: Chasqui, L. (Ed.). Biodiversidad de los arrecifes rocosos (riscales y morros) del Pacífico Norte Chocoano. Serie Publicaciones Generales Nº 116 de INVEMAR. Santa Marta, Colombia. 318 p. * Borrero, G. and M.J. Vanegas. 2020. First record of asexual reproduction of Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla (Lesson, 1830) in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin, 40:51-52. * Chasqui, L; Rincon, N. and M.J. Vanegas. 2020. Abundancia del pez león invasor Pterois volitans en los arrecifes de coral costeros del Caribe colombiano. Bulletin of Marine and Coastal Research. 49 (1), 157-170. * Vanegas, M.J. and G. Borrero. 2020. First records and new information on the associations of echinoderms with other phyla in the rocky reefs of northern Chocó, Colombian Pacific. Zookeys. 921: 1-22. * Borrero, G. and M.J. Vanegas. 2020. Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) viridiaurantia sp. nov. (Holothuriida, Holothuriidae), a new sea cucumber from the Eastern Pacific Ocean revealed by morphology and DNA barcoding. Zookeys. 893: 1-19. Show less



ProCTMM Colombia

• Colombia
• Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Asistente de investigación

  • Apr 2015 - May 2015

  Participate in the characterization of sea turtles nesting beaches and consumption in the Guajira, a department in the north of Colombia. Participate in the characterization of sea turtles nesting beaches and consumption in the Guajira, a department in the north of Colombia.



Aqua y terra

• Spain
• Construction

• Diver biologist

  • Oct 2014 - Apr 2015

  Diver biologist. Assessment of marine ecosystems focus on coral reefs, seagrass meadows, sponges reefs, among others. Implementation of the management plans for the deepen and enlargement of the Bocachica channel, Cartagena, Colombia. Relocation of marine fauna from the intervention areas focus on scleractinian corals, octocorals, sponges and animals of high ecological importance and low movement. Diver biologist. Assessment of marine ecosystems focus on coral reefs, seagrass meadows, sponges reefs, among others. Implementation of the management plans for the deepen and enlargement of the Bocachica channel, Cartagena, Colombia. Relocation of marine fauna from the intervention areas focus on scleractinian corals, octocorals, sponges and animals of high ecological importance and low movement.



Centro de Investigaciones Oceanográficas e Hidrográficas del Caribe-CIOH

• Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Biologist

  • Feb 2014 - Feb 2015

  Evaluate the marine zooplankton community of different projects associated with the marine transport and the marine governance. Evaluate zooplankton communities and water quality from research cruises from different project. -Publishing: Vanegas, M.J. and L.J. Arregoces. 2015. Aportes al conocimiento de la riqueza de los tintínidos (Protozoa; Ciliophora) de aguas superficiales del Caribe colombiano. Scientific bulletin of CIOH; 33:107-121. Evaluate the marine zooplankton community of different projects associated with the marine transport and the marine governance. Evaluate zooplankton communities and water quality from research cruises from different project. -Publishing: Vanegas, M.J. and L.J. Arregoces. 2015. Aportes al conocimiento de la riqueza de los tintínidos (Protozoa; Ciliophora) de aguas superficiales del Caribe colombiano. Scientific bulletin of CIOH; 33:107-121.



Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano

• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Coral restoration volunteer

  • Dec 2011 - Jun 2013

  Volunteer work in the project “Applying the concept of coral gardening for the restoration of the shallow coral reefs of Tayrona Natural National Park”. Functions: - Search of coral fragments of different coral species to feed the nursery, especially Montastraea cavernosa, Porites porites and Helioceris cuculata. - Weekly maintenance of the nursery and of the corals - Take the growth and survival data during the follow-up. - Support other activities related with the project. Volunteer work in the project “Applying the concept of coral gardening for the restoration of the shallow coral reefs of Tayrona Natural National Park”. Functions: - Search of coral fragments of different coral species to feed the nursery, especially Montastraea cavernosa, Porites porites and Helioceris cuculata. - Weekly maintenance of the nursery and of the corals - Take the growth and survival data during the follow-up. - Support other activities related with the project.