COHEN, Rachel

Briev CV

Rachel Cohen is currently a Research Technician on the BIODIV project led by Dr. Sandra Mallol within the RESMARIEO) Group, with mentorship from Dr. Nuria Rodriguez de la Ballina and Dr. David Díaz. Her work focuses on processing video transects and conducting interviews to assess human disturbances on reef (habitat 1170) and sea cave (habitat 8830) ecosystems. The aim of this research is to improve knowledge on the cartographic distribution, conservation status and species information of these habitats.

Contrato enmarcado en el proyecto BIODIV: “Asesoramiento científico-técnico para el seguimiento de la biodiversidad marina: espacios y especies marinos protegidos de competencia estatal (2022-2025)”. Proyecto financiado por la Unión Europea – NextGenerationEU a través del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia; e impulsado por la Dirección General de Biodiversidad, Bosques y Desertificación del Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico, y CSIC a través del Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO, CSIC).

Previously, Rachel was awarded a JAE Intro 2023 Scholarship from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) at the Balearic Oceanographic Center (COB), where she analyzed small-scale fisheries landings in the Balearic Islands and Catalonia. Her work examined the influence of climate change and Marine Protected Areas on fisheries resources as part of the CLISSARTES project within the Group of Ecosystem Oceanography (GRECO).

She holds an International Master’s in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea), coordinated by the University of Ghent and supported by an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. Her academic focus was on conservation and restoration of coastal marine habitats, with field experience across diverse ecosystems including Southern Portugal, Eastern Italy, Brazil, and Mallorca.

Her Bachelor degree was from the University of Washington in Seattle USA, in the fields of Aquatics and Fisheries Science and Marine Biology. Prior to her master’s studies, she worked at the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) as Participant Coordinator and Marine Debris Specialist, supporting citizen science initiatives.

Outside of research, Rachel enjoys sailing, scuba diving, and exploring the culinary traditions of different cultures.

Scholarship funded by the CSIC, JAE program and Erasmus Mundus

Paper https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114028

Update in October 2025