Alina Corcoran

Alina Corcoran serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at New Mexico State University (NMSU), leading the Corcoran Lab focused on microalgal biology and ecology. Her work bridges foundational research with practical applications for ecosystem management and sustainability in arid environments.

Her research program investigates critical ecological dynamics through these core areas:

• Algal cultivation ecology and community dynamics
• Trait-based ecological modeling
• Predator-prey relationships and algal-bacterial interactions
• Synthetic ecology approaches
• Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) mitigation

The lab integrates controlled experiments with field observations to address sustainability challenges, leveraging NMSU's desert location for unique ecological insights relevant to water resource management and environmental resilience.