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About Vânia Coelho

Dr. Coelho is a tenured professor in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, School of Health and Natural Sciences. She has a master’s degree in ecology and a Ph.D. in zoology, both from University of São Paulo, Brazil. She completed most of her doctorate research while she was working as a visiting scientist at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, in Washington, D.C. After completing her doctorate, Dr. Coelho held a post-doctoral research scientist position initially, and later an associate research scientist position, at Columbia University. She started working at Dominican University of California as a tenure-track assistant professor, being granted tenure at the associate professor level, and eventually being promoted to full professor. During her work at Dominican, she served as faculty coordinator for the Center for Sustainability and led a campus-wide sustainability assessment that resulted in a Bronze rating for the university from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. She also received an “Excellence in Education” Service Award from the City of San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, San Rafael, CA. She is currently focusing most of her time in teaching and research. She teaches the following courses: Biological Research Methodology, Ecology and Evolution, Environmental Sciences, International Field Biology, Invertebrate Biology and Marine Biology. Her current research focus is on coral reef ecology; she is particularly interested in management strategies that can help mitigate the effects of climate change on corals. Past funding for her research included grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Park Service. 

Positions

2016 - Present Professor (Tenured), Dominican University of California ‐ Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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2010 - 2016 Associate Professor (Tenured), Dominican University of California ‐ Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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2009 - 2013 Faculty Coordinator, Dominican University of California ‐ Center for Sustainability
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2002 - 2010 Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), Dominican University of California ‐ Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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2002 - 2007 Associate Research Scientist, Caribbean Marine Institute, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands
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1999 - 2002 Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Columbia University ‐ Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Biosphere 2 Center Earth Institute
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1997 - 1999 Visiting Graduate Researcher, National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution ‐ Department of Systematic Biology, Invertebrate Zoology
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1996 - 1999 Graduate Researcher, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil ‐ Department of Zoology
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1993 - 1995 Graduate Researcher, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil ‐ Department of Ecology
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Disciplines

Research Interests

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Education

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1999 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of São Paulo, Brazil ‐ Zoology
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1996 Master of Science (M.S.), University of São Paulo, Brazil ‐ Ecology
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1992 Bachelor of Science (B.S.), University of São Paulo, Brazil ‐ Biology
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Links

Contact Information

Dominican University of California
50 Acacia Ave.
San Rafael, CA 94901

415.458.3745

Email:

ORCID

Articles (11)

Book Contributions (3)

Reports (2)