Research project

Interactive community engagement using technology and citizen science for school and community capacity building on pelagic sargassum in Mexico

Project overview

SarTECH aims to innovatively link technology and citizen science, creating new knowledge to better understand and manage the adverse environmental and socio-economic impact induced by the sargassum influxes along the Caribbean coast of Mexico. In partnering with local schools, communities, and regional experts, SarTECH seeks to mature the technology for near shore monitoring of Sargassum, generate new data and translate existing research to build school and community capacities in sargassum monitoring within Quintana Roo.

Staff

Lead researchers

Dr Vicky Dominguez Almela

Lecturer

Research interests

  • Her work has included the use of individual-based models (IBMs), geographical information systems (GIS) and stable isotopes to increase understandings of invasion patterns and evaluate invasive species eradication programmes. She also uses citizen science tools to co-produce knowledge with the general public and increase adaptation pathways to climatic risks.
  • Champion of the Nature-Based Solutions Special Interest Group at the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute.
  • Postgrad Rep and Social Media Lead of the British Ecological Society Invasion Science Group.
Connect with Vicky

Other researchers

Professor Emma Tompkins PhD

Prof of Geog, Environment & Development
Connect with Emma

Professor Jadu Dash

Professor of Remote Sensing

Research interests

  • Satellite derived land surface phenology and its validation with ground data
  • Developing a chlorophyll content based production efficiency model to quantify terrestrial carbon uptake
  • Impact of extreme climatic events on vegetation phenology
Connect with Jadu

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs