Isabel Romero

Dr. Isabel Romero is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science, specializing in marine biogeochemistry and environmental chemistry. Her research uses organic chemistry and isotopic tracers to study marine systems from coastal mangroves to deep-sea environments.

Education includes a Ph.D. in Ocean Sciences from the University of Southern California (2009) and a B.S. in Marine Biology from Universidad del Valle (1998).

Research Interests: Her work focuses on geochemical archives in marine systems, hydrocarbon fate and transport, microplastic pollution, and ecosystem responses to anthropogenic events. Research employs molecular markers to trace environmental change across temporal and spatial scales.

Publications show strong focus on Gulf of Mexico ecosystems, particularly impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, microplastic pollution dynamics, and marine biogeochemical cycling. Recent work expands into climate change impacts on marine systems.

Awards:

• National Academies Gulf Research Program Early Career Fellowship (2019)
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Fellowship
• Multiple university teaching and research awards

Advising & Grants: Mentors graduate students researching microplastics, hydrocarbon contamination, and carbon cycling. Secured over $2M in research funding including NOAA surveillance projects and NSF-RAPID hurricane impact studies. Leads field research campaigns across the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Directs an environmental chemistry laboratory training students in advanced analytical techniques including FT-ICR-MS and GC/MS/MS methods.