Emily Aguirre
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography Ph.D. Candidate at University of Southern California
Emily is a Los Angeles native and first-generation, Central American graduate. She holds an A.A.S in Chemical Technology, a B.Sc. in Microbiology and is currently an NSF fellow, working on her Ph.D. Emily's research interests are driven by her broad interest in host-microbe symbiotic interactions. Currently, she is investigating nutrient exchange between marine bacteria, symbiotic algae and corals.
When not engaging in research, Emily is committed to mentoring students on a similar track and helping them navigate through college and beyond. Previously, Emily has mentored students in partnerships with the Latino Graduate Association (LGSA-USC), Young Researchers Program (YRP-USC), Women in STEM (collaboration with the Los Angeles Mayor's Office), and most recently, the REU program at USC Wrigley Institute in Catalina Island. She has also served as an SAT Instructor with Acceso Academy, a non-profit that provides accessible test preparation for underprivileged students from underrepresented groups in higher education. Parallel to mentoring, Emily also enjoys communicating science to the public, having written several popular science articles for The Daily Chela and serving as a speaker for the USC Viterbi STEM Educational Outreach programs in 2018.