Yeraldi Loera graduated from Occidental College as a Biology major in the Fall of 2016. After graduating, she attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona for a Master’s in Biology. There, she studied ecotoxicology and created a meta-analysis on the effects of ionizing radiation on mutation rates. She also initiated a study using genomic analyses of barn swallows sampled from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear site. Since receiving her Master’s in 2019, she has started a PhD program in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA. Recently, her lab has moved across the country to Princeton University. Her thesis focuses on signatures of contemporary evolution in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) exposed to endocrine disrupting pesticides. She uses genomic, transcriptomic, and physiological data to build upon her story of possible resistance in contaminated populations. She spent the last summer in South Carolina hatching and studying ~300 baby alligators before returning them to the wild for long-term survival assays.

She emphasizes her gratitude to do what she loves and is outspoken on connecting with others about their obstacles and journeys. She is the daughter of a single mother Mexican immigrant who grew up in an underprivileged household and town in Los Angeles with limited educational resources. She recognizes Oxy as a pivotal point in her journey where she was able to explore science and find her interests. She attributes the bulk of her success to the awesome mentors she has had throughout her time at Oxy and beyond. These mentors have helped her defy obstacles impeding her path, leading her to grow as a scientist and as a person. Mentoring is now a primary goal for her as she studies to become a PI at an institution like Oxy where she can conduct her research while introducing and immersing students into the wonders of scientific research. She has been the first student in both of her graduate labs, finding the challenges of starting a lab both instructional and as a creative outlet to foster a welcoming lab culture. She is working on her scientific communication skills to reach more students feeling unease throughout their academic journey. She is open to conversations on these topics via email ([email protected]). Enjoy!