Isabel Rivera-Collazo

Isabel Rivera-Collazo is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Anthropology and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, where she directs the SIO Human Ecology Laboratory. Her work bridges earth sciences, archaeology, and marine ecology to study social vulnerability to climate change, focusing on food and habitat security in coastal and marine contexts.

• Ph.D. in Environmental Archaeology, University College London
• M.Sc. in Palaeoecology of Human Societies, University College London
• B.A. in Anthropology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

Her research explores socioecosystem dynamics, human responses to climate change, and communal archaeology through geoarchaeological and archaeomalacological methods. Key projects include DUNAS (sand dune restoration and heritage) and the California Heritage Climate Vulnerability Index. Recent publications span topics like:

• Coastal heritage under climate threats
• Human-environment interactions in the Caribbean
• Geoarchaeological methodologies
• Indigenous knowledge integration
• Disaster impact assessments
• Climatic adaptation frameworks

Scientific awards:

• 2020 Climate Adaptation Leader Award
• 2020 UCSD Integrity Award

She co-founded the UCSD Climate Action Lab and collaborates with Borikua/Taino communities in Puerto Rico and the Tongva community in California to decolonize historical narratives and develop community-relevant climate solutions.