Natalia Uribe-Castañeda
University of Central Florida
Executive Branch
Natalia Uribe-Castañeda is a University of Florida Ph.D. graduate from Colombia, who recently obtained her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology, under advisor Dr. Martin Main in UF’s School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). Uribe-Castañeda’s dissertation, titled “Community Engagement in Coral Reef Restoration”, investigates strategies that organizations use to engage communities, assess community-based coral reef restoration programs, highlight the motivations of community member participation, and identify barriers members face that hinder their participation.
“This commitment has led me to work and study across various countries, including Colombia, the United States, Belize, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and Italy,” says Uribe-Castañeda
During her tenure as a Marine and Coastal Program Consultant with the World Wildlife Fund Colombia, Uribe-Castañeda’s understanding of the importance of integrative management in coastal ecosystems grew and launched her career in several international roles thereafter. In 2018 she spent time in Faro, Portugal with Future Earth Coasts as a Research Assistant, constructing frameworks to analyze coral reef socio-ecological systems. As a Coral Reef Lecturer with Operation Wallacea in Akumal, Mexico the following year, she conducted underwater lectures and planned dive operations related to reef ecology. These opportunities, among others, provided her with the background and expertise to complement her academic research and enhance her passion for public service.
Whether in her home country of Colombia, around the globe, or here in Florida, Uribe-Castañeda does not shrink from taking on leadership roles that provide pathways to change. During her academic career at the University of Florida, she served as president, vice president, and treasurer of the SNRE Graduate Student Council and the Tropical Conservation and Development Program. In these roles, she facilitated grant eligibility and organized fundraising events to support students’ research. She also engages with stakeholders to strategize ways to promote greater accessibility with grant opportunities.
“This blend of hands-on engagement with communities, research findings,
and leadership experiences underscores my commitment to contribute to public service actively,” says Uribe-Castañeda.
Looking forward to 2025, the Knauss Fellowship would not only allow to share her interdisciplinary and international expertise, but also provides the opportunity for hands-on policy and administrative learning while engaging with executive and legislative offices in a collaborative environment. Uribe-Castañeda is dedicated to leveraging science to empower coastal communities and their voices, and advocates for policies that both support coral reef restoration and actively engage reef-related businesses. In her role in the 2025 Knauss cohort, she will build upon her expertise and find new ways to continue and enhance her advocacy efforts.
What is Natalia most looking forward to as a 2025 Knauss Fellow?
“I want to gain a comprehensive understanding of ocean conservation and management from various perspectives”
Placement Office:
NOAA OMAO, Uncrewed Systems Operation Center
