Welcome!

My name is Roxanne Banker and I am a marine ecologist and paleontologist. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Peter D Roopnarine at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California. I received a Ph.D. from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Davis in September 2019 with Dr. Geerat J Vermeij.

Broadly, I am interested in how interactions with microbiota, other organisms, and the environment affect species and community evolution: How do species relationships with other organisms and resident microbiota affect species ecology and adaptation? How do species interact within communities, and how does the structure of these interactions affect community properties, such as persistence and resilience? Likewise, how do emergent community properties affect species extinction and persistence? Finally, how are these processes affected by abiotic factors, such as climate change?

I am passionate about science communication and leveraging science to inform decision making. My goal as a scientist is to contribute to foundational ecological science that can be utilized in the context of conservation and environmental stewardship.

I am committed to science education, and increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. I have served as a mentor and tutor for a range of programs geared towards increasing the participation and retention of women in STEM fields, particularly those who belong to groups that have historically been excluded.