Cataixa Lopez-Batista PH.D

College of Natural and Computational Sciences - Department of Natural Science

Education

Degree in Marine Biology, University of La Laguna, Spain

M.S. Marine Science: Conservation and Biodiversity, University of Barcelona, Spain

Ph.D. Biodiversity University of La Laguna, Spain

Postdoc Population Genetics, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology

Courses Taught:

MARS4050 Marine Ecology

BIOL3060 Marine Invertebrate 

BIOL3061 Marine Invertebrate Lab

Teaching

My teaching focuses on helping students develop strong critical thinking skills and the confidence to apply scientific concepts to real-world situations. I strive to create learning experiences that are hands-on, inquiry-driven, and connected to current issues in marine science. Above all, I want students to leave my courses with curiosity, intellectual independence, and an appreciation for how science can inform meaningful solutions to global challenges.

Research

My research focuses on the ecology, adaptation, and species interactions of marine invertebrates, particularly cnidarians such as zoantharians and scleractinian corals. I am especially interested in how ocean warming, climate change, and human-driven impacts reshape benthic community structure, species distributions, and the dynamics of biological invasions. My work integrates field ecology, molecular tools, and community-level analyses to understand how environmental change influences resilience, competition, and the establishment of non-native species.