Dr. Adriana Gonzalez-Fernandez
Dr. Adriana González-Fernández is a scientist in the Microbiology Department at SCCWRP. Her research focuses on quantifying pathogens and estimating illness risks for beachgoers and seafood consumers.
She received her B.S. in biology in 2014 from Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica and Ph.D. in integrative biology in 2022 from the University of South Florida. She joined SCCWRP in 2023.
Education
Ph.D., integrative biology, University of South Florida, 2022
B.S., biology, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, 2014
Professional Experience
Scientist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 2023-present
Visiting Scientist, Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper. Puntarenas, Costa Rica. 2022
Research Assistant, University of South Florida. Tampa, FL. 2017-2022
Teaching Assistant, University of South Florida. Tampa, FL. 2019
Beach Water Quality Specialist, Costa Rican Waterworks Institute (Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados). Tres Ríos, Costa Rica. 2015-2017
Honors and Awards
Tharp Scholarship. 2022
Integrative Biology Travel Award. 2018, 2019
Publications
Journal Articles
González-Fernández, A., E.M. Symonds, J.F. Gallard-Gongora, B. Mull, J.O. Lukasik, P. Rivera Navarro, A. Badilla Aguilar, J. Peraud, A. Cantor, D. Mora Alvarado, M. Breitbart, M.R. Cairns, V.J. Harwood. 2022. Risk of Gastroenteritis from Swimming at a Wastewater-Impacted Tropical Beach Varies across Hyper-Local Scales. [Manuscript submitted for publication].
González-Fernández, A., E.M. Symonds, J.F. Gallard-Gongora, B. Mull, J.O. Lukasik, P. Rivera Navarro, A. Badilla Aguilar, J. Peraud, M.L. Brown, D. Mora Alvarado, M. Breitbart, M.R. Cairns, V.J. Harwood. 2021. Relationships among microbial indicators of fecal pollution, microbial source tracking markers, and pathogens in Costa Rican coastal waters. Water Research 188, 116507.
Laureano-Rosario, A.E., E.M. Symonds, A. González-Fernández, O.G. Lizano R., D. Mora Alvarado, P. Rivera Navarro, A. Badilla Aguilar, D. Rueda-Roa, D.B. Otis, V.J. Harwood, M.R. Cairns, F.E. Muller-Karger. 2021. The relationship between environmental parameters and microbial water quality at two Costa Rican beaches from 2002 to 2017. Marine Pollution Bulletin DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111957.