Margarita
Lampo Associate Researcher in the Ecology Department Venezuelan
Institute for Scientific Research
Margarita's research relates to a big problem that threatens biodiversity:
the introduction of non-native species. For the past seven years
she has collaborated with Australian scientists to study a population
of toads that is native to South America but was introduced into
Australia as a non-native species. The researchers are looking for
ways to control the toad population in Australia and stop the toads
from spreading into wetlands where they threaten native populations
of amphibians.
It is a team effort. Ecologists on the team are trying to find out
why the toad is so much more abundant in Australia.
They
hope to discover the ecological factors that are present in South
America (but are not present in Australia) that help regulate the
toad population. Virologists are trying to discover viruses present
in the native areas so they could use them to reduce the populations
of toads in Australia. Geneticists are researching the genetic makeup
of the toads in both areas to find out if they differ.
Margarita has always loved animals, and up until the age of 12,
she was determined to be a veterinarian. In high school, an inspiring
biology teacher rekindled her interest in animals. She went on to
earn a bachelor's degree in zoology at the University of Maryland
, and a doctorate from the Universidad Central de Venezuela.
Margarita's career advice is simple: do whatever it is you want
to do, but do it with passion.
Margarita enjoys almost everything about her job. She admits that
processing reams of data is the least exciting part, and can often
be tedious. But the field work is very exciting, and takes her to
some unique places. She finds that analyzing the d ata is fascinating
because it is here that the real story emerges from the numbers.
And writing scientific papers is a chance to tell that story to
others.
Watch
M. Lampo talk about the film (2.7 mb)
