Hi there! I’m Diego, a biologist from Peru. I am in the middle of my PhD, working with the Spatial Science Group at the University of Adelaide. I have always been interested in the natural world and tried to explore it as much as I can.

Most of my work has been related to environmental impact assessments and research projects focused on birds. However, since I was an undergraduate I understood the importance of GIS and always tried to learn more about it. That led me to work mapping vegetation, which I found very useful during my MSc thesis when I constructed habitat suitability models for the Southern emu-wren. My search for knowledge led me to Adelaide Uni. Now I am doing a PhD on the restoration and monitoring of native grasslands.

The GIS part of my PhD project focuses on the importance of perennial graminoids, such as the Iron grass (Lomandra effusa). I am exploring new ways to improve vegetation assessments in native grasslands by monitoring native tussocks. This involves work with satellite time series and vegetation indexes, which allow us to discriminate vegetation by their growth strategies. I am also learning to use drones to estimate the native vegetation cover. So far, it has been a wonderful journey. My research will help the Department of Environment and Water mapping native vegetation and conduct monitoring in conservation parks. 

When I am not working on my project you can find me doing birdwatching and exploring new places or chilling out at home.