Juan Diego Urriago Suarez Email & Phone Number

Fujairah Emirate, United Arab Emirates

➢ Assessing carbon footprints, evaluating rates of carbon sequestration, and pinpointing opportunities to reduce emissions. Delivering sustainable strategies and designing and reviewing projects that contribute to a blue economy. Promoting environmental sustainability and assisting organizations in achieving their emission reduction targets.

United Arab Emirates

Developing and implementing proposals, assessing project strategies, and creating environmental mitigation plans, and providing logistical support developing conservation projects involving coral restoration, artificial reefs, habitat mapping, dolphin and shark surveys, sea turtle protection, and promoting sustainable aquaculture practices. Furthermore, I developed a comprehensive protocol for coral reefs and seagrass relocation in Saudi Arabia, aimed at obtaining a permit for the construction of a port by the environmental company ANSAB.HydroQual ASA - DP World - Jumeirah Burj Al Arab / Al Naseem - Dubai Aquarium - RedFin / ThinkFish - ArchiReefs - Abu Dhabi Environment Agency - Fujairah Environment Authority - Fujairah Research Centre - Fujairah Genetics - Eastern Fish Farm - Freestyle Divers - Dibba Bay Oysters.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

o Drive innovation in marine environmental management practices, promoting sustainability and conservation.o Engage with stakeholders, government agencies and private sector, to advance marine research initiatives.o Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to integrate scientific research with technological advancements.o Design and implement user-friendly dashboard visualizations to facilitate data-driven decision-making.o Transform historical datasets into accurate marine environmental models.o Lead the development of marine environmental forecasting models.

Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

I assisted in the development of digital biodiversity assessments by writing protocols and guidelines on mangrove restoration, seedlings, and afforestation in the ecosystems of the UAE.

Worldwide

Divemaster (assistant instructor) with over 900 scientific dives. Conducted studies in cold waters (Chile - Canada), tropical waters (Caribbean - Thailand), and subtropical waters (Hong Kong - UEA) including:Restore coral reefs by transplanting healthy corals back to degraded areas through propagation. Design, construct, and establish large-scale coral nurseries. Design, construct, and deploy artificial reefs weighing up to 2 tons. Monitor the recruitment and survival of shallow and deep-cold corals.Conduct baseline surveys and film underwater footage up to 80 m. Evaluate the size-frequency distribution of benthic populations. Install buoys, data loggers, and artificial substrates to facilitate larval settlement. Identify Canadian algae on Île de Bonaventure. Use airlift devices for bottom suction.Externally tag and monitor the movement patterns of echinoderms during both day and night. Mark and recapture species using fluorochromes to model their growth. Conduct predation experiments on invasive species. Survey for invasive species at piers and aquaculture farms. Conduct trials using tethered sea urchins to assess their survival probability. Perform simulated attacks among echinoderms.

Al Fujayrah, United Arab Emirates

Established the first centralized marine research department in Fujairah and provided training to the local Emiratis, empowering them to manage and operate the department independently. Working with the environmental authorities, I instituted the first official research guidelines for coral restoration and artificial reefs in Fujairah waters. Developed conservation plans for cetaceans, turtles, coral reefs, MPAs, and UAE's endemic vertebrates. Initiated shark and ray monitoring programs. Formed marine research alliances among four emirates at the governmental level. Conducted dolphin distribution, behavior, and population studies using field sightings and DNA analysis. Utilized satellite and acoustic tagging for turtle, shark, and ray monitoring. Led turtle rescue, coral restoration with artificial reefs, MPA mapping, oil spill detection, fishing hotspot identification, and academic programs. Collaborated with companies, schools, research institutions, aquariums, and diving centers.As a principal investigator, I have led approximately 20 projects, including private initiatives in collaboration with the Crown Prince's Office. With a research budget of 2.5 million AED, I have successfully managed partnerships that covered at least half of the operational costs for each project. Keeping our stakeholders informed and engaged, I shared regular updates on our progress through various social media platforms, local and international magazines, and news channels. Thanks to my robust collaborations and my extensive professional network, we have achieved remarkable milestones in marine conservation and research. I have made a significant impact in our field and are committed to continuing our efforts towards a sustainable future.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Established the world's largest field coral nursery, producing over 250,000 fragments of massive corals such as Favia, Favites, Cyphastrea, Platygyra, Siderastrea, Porites, and Acropora in just several months. The survival rate of the coral fragments was up to 95%, which effectively facilitated coral reef restoration with farmed fragments from the nursery in less than two years in the coastal waters of Abu Dhabi. Additionally, I worked closely with the CEO to support other projects such as mangrove afforestation, daily monitoring of coastal wildlife using ground and drone operations, and turtle nesting surveillance to protect them from natural predators.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

As a marine biologist for luxury hotels, my role was to manage a specialized team tasked with creating a sustainable tourism destination. Working closely with the CEO, I ensured our efforts aligned with the company's goals. My responsibilities included maintaining a land-based coral nursery system with over 10,000 coral fragments supplied by the coral micro-fragmentation project. I have also designed, built, constructed, deployed, and monitored artificial reefs. These reefs were created to provide habitat structures for marine life and were used in underwater landscape displays within man-made underwater/floating seahorse villas. Additionally, I oversaw the development of 500 seawater aquariums for a family-hotel lobby and a seawater life-lagoon for an island of residential villas.

Neiva, Huila, Colombia

I contributed to the development and analysis of continental hydrosystems models to provide valuable information for policy decisions and conservation initiatives at both local and national levels.

Lat Krabang, Bangkok, Thailand

I was Honored as the first postdoctoral research fellow in the history of the university, established in 1960. Echinoderms Ecology: Phenotypic plasticity of sea urchins across a latitudinal gradient. Diurnal and nocturnal movements of echinoderms. Directed by Dr. Monthon Ganmanee (Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology).

I conducted field research to collect data during wetlands and benthic surveys. I used various equipment such as sediment cores, grab samplers, and plankton nets to collect samples from mud flats, which were then analyzed for various parameters such as grain size distribution, organic matter content, and species composition.

Kowloon, Hong Kong Sar

2012 - 2014 Biodiversity Dr. Jian-Wen Qiu2011 - 2013 Ecology Dr. Jian-Wen Qiu

Québec, Quebec, Canada

I was responsible for maintaining and feeding the animals used to assess how diet affected the structure and function of mitochondria in the red muscles of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). This involved making sure the trout received a well-balanced diet and that their living conditions were optimized for the research.

Québec, Quebec, Canada

2008 - 2009 Invertebrate Zoology Dr. John Himmelman2009 Diversity & Ecology of plants Dr. Ladd Johnson

Chile, Coquimbo

I worked on various marine conservation projects, including several MPAs along the Chilean coast. These projects involved studying the effect of thermal anomalies on the structure of marine communities. We conducted baseline surveys and habitat mapping in depths of up to 80 m. We also conducted a biodiversity baseline assessment and researched the ecological resistance of native benthic communities to invasive species.

Comau Fjord, Chile

I assisted in logistics for scientific diving in deep-sea coral research to gain experience in marine science and conservation. I worked on projects related to marine biology, ecology, and oceanography. I contributed to ongoing research by conducting dive surveys, documenting marine species, mapping habitats, and monitoring the environment. I also assisted with data analysis, laboratory work, and the preparation of scientific reports to support the station's efforts in promoting sustainable practices for the protection of the fjord's unique marine ecosystem.

Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia

The recent announcement of the establishment of the first marine protected area for deep-sea ecosystems in the southern Caribbean received support from my work. I contributed to generating biological criteria for the establishment of this protected area, predicting the spatial distribution of deep-sea corals along the continental shelf, and analyzing the diversity of primary-habitat-forming organisms like Madracis myriaster.

Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia

Seahorse fry struggle to eat in aquariums due to their basic digestive system and small stomachs. I study the impact of various feeding methods, rates, and types of food on seahorse growth and survival in controlled and natural environments. Specifically, I have examined the outcomes of feeding frozen and cultivated plankton compared to the feeding patterns seahorses have in their natural habitats.

Phd "Abd", Marine Biology And Conservation

Marine Biology, Ecology, and Conservation. An empirical and modeling study of the demography of the commercially exploited sea urchin.

Master Of Science - Ms, Marine Sciences

Behavioral responses of the sea urchin Tetrapygus niger to its sea star predators, Heliaster helianthus and Meyenaster gelatinosus.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Marine Biology

Activities and Societies: ...Deep-sea corals formations: biologic criteria for the establishment of marine protected areas.