Julissa Rojas-Sandoval

Julissa Rojas-Sandoval is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community, and Urban Studies at the University of Connecticut. Her research focuses on invasion ecology, tropical conservation, and the impacts of human-driven environmental changes on ecosystems. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Puerto Rico (2010) and has conducted extensive work in the Caribbean and Central America.

Research Highlights:

• Studies biological invasions in tropical forests and urban ecosystems
• Explores post-hurricane recovery dynamics in Caribbean forests
• Examines ecosystem services and urban/exurban ecological processes
• Applies machine learning to ecological data analysis

Key Contributions:

• Published over 30 peer-reviewed articles on invasion biology, tropical ecology, and biogeography
• Investigated alien plant species distribution patterns across Caribbean islands
• Assessed hurricane impacts on urban and natural vegetation structures
• Developed frameworks to quantify ecosystem service dynamics in disturbed landscapes

Professional Affiliations:

• University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus
• Member of interdisciplinary teams addressing global change ecology