Andrea
Herrera

Sharks · Humans · Ocean Governance · Capacity-building

Fascinated by the world of sharks and marine policy, building capacity across regions, while transitioning to ocean governance & community-led projects that move people and institutions to act.

Based in Portugal Working globally — EU · LAC · Asia ES · EN · 中文 · PT
Explore Work with me
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About

Sharks, Community & the ocean

I'm a multilingual marine researcher from El Salvador, currently based in Portugal. My work sits at the intersection of shark ecology, marine policy, and community well-being — shaped by years of fieldwork across Taiwan, the Azores, and Latin America, and by a conviction that science only matters when it reaches the people who need it most.

My most recent project developed a standardized photo-identification methodology for blue sharks in the Mid-Atlantic, a replicable and cost-effective approach to long-term monitoring that bridges fieldwork and conservation practice. Beyond expeditions at sea, I focus on the social dimensions of ocean governance: who benefits, who's left out, and how early-career researchers can lead the next generation of ocean solutions.

I work in four languages — Spanish, English, Mandarin Chinese, and Portuguese; more than a credential, it is a worldview: that inclusive science requires meeting people where they are, in the language they think in. Whether on a global stage, at a regional mentorship seminar, or in a national newspaper, the goal is the same — making the ocean accessible to everyone.

Based in
Portugal
Working globallyEU · LAC · Asia
Research focus
Shark ecology & Conservation
Inclusive Marine Policy
Ocean Governance
Ocean Education
Capacity-building
Research & projects

Field science, capacity & community

Personal research projects
2023 – 2025
Image-Based Identification of Blue Sharks in the Mid-Atlantic
MSc thesis developing a standardized photo-identification methodology for blue shark monitoring during migration season in the Azores — a cost-effective approach to long-term population tracking.
Graduate research
2021
Seagrass Meadow Die-off — Dongsha Atoll National Park
Independent field expedition investigating seagrass mass mortality under thermal stress and oxygen deprivation at Dongsha Atoll, Taiwan.
Undergraduate research
Capacity-building & ocean science
2025 – Present
ECOP Central America — Capacity Development Hub
Lead coordinator for the proposal and co-creation of a regional capacity development hub under the UN Ocean Decade framework.
UN Ocean Decade
2025 – 2026
Mes Azul — ECOP Central America
Co-organized eight open-access bilingual masterclasses featuring experts from Latin America, making ocean and climate knowledge accessible to early-career professionals.
Ocean education
2025 – Present
InspiraSTEM — Mentoring Programs
Board member supporting STEM career mentorship for university students in El Salvador, focusing on ocean science pathways and Global South representation.
Mentorship
Jun 2025
Blue Citizen Hackathon — ECOP Ocean Literacy Task Team
Contributed to collaborative ocean literacy action strategies and community-engaged science communication.
Ocean literacy
Jun 2025
UN Ocean Conference — Beyond Borders Pavilion
Contributed to the IOC-UNESCO Ocean Literacy Pavilion at UNOC3 in Nice, presenting on blue shark research and ECOP Central America's capacity-building initiatives.
Ocean literacy
2024 – Present
Regional Mentorship & Capacity-building — EMA El Salvador
Country Representative leading mentorship seminars reaching 150+ participants and facilitating EU delegation collaborations within the Erasmus Mundus framework.
Outreach unit
2021 – 2022
National MPA Evaluation — Tropical Shallow Coral Reefs, Taiwan
Research assistant at NTU's Functional Reef Ecology Lab assessing coral reef health across 40+ sites via benthic photography, eDNA collection, and AI-based coral recognition.
Capacity-building
Outreach & Events

Panels, talks & public science

Coming up
2026Jul
Sharks International 2026 — Oral Presentation
Blue shark photo-identification research · Sri Lanka
2026Apr
Shark Education Association (SEI Portugal)
Portugal
2026Sep
InspiraSTEM — Instructor & Speaker
For Salvadoran students & researchers · El Salvador
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Past events
Mar 2026
Blue Sharks in the Deep Blue: Chasing the Shark Dream
Marine Society Ocean Series · CLIP, Oporto
Jun 2025
Panelist — IOC-UNESCO Ocean Literacy Pavilion
UN Ocean Conference 3 · Nice, France
Jun 2025
Bridging Science with Policy and Community-based Action
Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions / ECOP · Nice, France
Jun – Jul 2025
Circle of Voices Podcast — 30 Voices from UNOC 2025
Podcast interview
2024
EMA El Salvador Onboarding with EU Ambassador
Erasmus Mundus Association · El Salvador
2024 – 2025
Regional Mentoring Program — EMA Central America
Erasmus Mundus Association · Central America
Publications & writing

Science & articles

Diario El Salvador article
Featured · Newspaper Science
Los tiburones azules que protege una salvadoreña
Dueñas, Víctor Hugo · Flores, Atilio · Herrera, A.J.

Interview series for Diario El Salvador's Science section — bringing blue shark research and conservation to a national public audience.

Read article →
2025ThesisImage-Based Identification of Blue Sharks in the Mid-Atlantic: Evaluating a Standardized Methodology for Long-Term Monitoring↗ Repository
2025ArticleThe One Ocean Science Congress and UNOC — A Central American Perspective · ECOP↗ Read
2025NewsletterMarine Environment and Resources Programme Newsletter — Past, Present, Future · July edition↗ Read
Curriculum Vitae

Experience & journey

Summary

Interdisciplinary marine researcher with expertise in shark ecology, marine policy, and community well-being. Holds an Erasmus Mundus MSc (Honor Scholarship) with a specialization in migratory shark species. Experienced across four languages in research, science writing, UN panels, and capacity-building spanning Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

ORCID: 0009-0009-7165-2405Ciência ID: 2F10-AEEA-AC9F
Experience
Apr 2025 – Present
Capacity Development Lead Coordinator — Central America
Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) · Remote
  • Lead proposal writing for the capacity development hub under the UN Ocean Decade framework.
  • Co-organize regional events and seminars with 100+ participants across Central America.
  • Design and lead a regional mentorship program targeting Global South representation in ocean governance.
Jun 2024 – Present
Country Representative — El Salvador
Erasmus Mundus Association · Remote
  • Prepare annual impact reports and outreach documentation in English and Spanish.
  • Primary liaison between EU delegations and the national chapter.
  • Manage bilingual social media platforms and stakeholder communications.
Jun – Sep 2024
Field Shark Traineeship
OKEANOS – University of Azores · Portugal
  • Monitored pelagic blue and hammerhead sharks in the Azores using photogrammetry and stereometry.
  • Assisted in satellite tag deployments along Faial Island.
  • Drafted scientific field reports for a long-term monitoring programme.
Dec 2021 – Dec 2022
Full-time Research Assistant
Functional Reef Ecology Lab, National Taiwan University · Taiwan
  • Live interpreter between Mandarin and English-speaking researchers during fieldwork.
  • Conducted underwater surveys across 40+ sites using benthic photography, eDNA collection, and 3D photogrammetry.
  • Contributed datasets for AI-based tropical coral recognition under a national biodiversity project.
Jul – Sep 2021
Field Researcher Intern — Dongsha Atoll
National Sun Yat-sen University · Taiwan
  • Led independent field research on seagrass meadow die-off under thermal stress.
  • Assisted in coral data collection and drone surveys on juvenile lemon shark movement.
Jul – Sep 2020
Data Analyst Intern
Taiwan Environmental Information Association · Taiwan
  • Chinese-language data entry and translation of 11 years of coral survey records across 7 sites.
  • Analyzed multi-year biodiversity decline data in collaboration with project management.
2017 – Present
Private Tutor — English, Spanish & Science
TUTEMI Taiwan & Freelance (Superprof) · Taiwan / Remote
  • Designed conversational English lessons for adult professionals and biology lessons following the Cambridge International syllabus.
  • Adapted teaching register and materials for learners across cultures and levels.
Education
2023 – 2025
M.S. Marine Environment and Resources (MER2030)
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's · France · Basque Country · Azores

Honor Awarded Scholarship — Erasmus Mundus. Thesis: Image-Based Identification of Blue Sharks in the Mid-Atlantic.

2015 – 2020
B.S. Marine Biotechnology and Resources
National Sun Yat-sen University · Taiwan

Prestigious Awarded Scholarship — MOFA (Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

2015
Mandarin Language Studies and Culture
Fu Jen Catholic University · Taiwan
Languages
SpanishNative
EnglishC2 · Bilingual
Mandarin ChineseC1 · Fluent
PortugueseB1 · Conversational
Core skills
Science writing
Academic & technical writing and proofreading
Multilingual content creation and adaptation (EN / ES / ZH / PT)
Consecutive and liaison interpretation
Public speaking and international panel presentation
Cross-cultural communication and audience adaptation
Research, data analysis and synthesis
Social media writing and digital communications
Marine Protected Areas and capacity-building program design
Scientific diving and underwater photography
RStudio · QGIS · MS Office · Notion · Slack
Training & certifications
UNITAR — Multilingual Meeting Interpretation: "El Delegado Ante La Interpretación En Una Reunión Multilingüe" · Mar 2025
Panelist — UN Ocean Conference, IOC-UNESCO Ocean Literacy Pavilion & Stanford Ocean Science Policy, Nice, France · Jun 2025
ProtectBlue / Undercurrent — Capacity Building for Ocean Impact Leaders · Oct – Dec 2025
Erasmus Mundus Association — Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement · Apr 2024
On the Way to COP30 — Conference, Último Recurso NGO, Lisbon · Oct 2025
PADI Advanced Open Water & Enriched Air Diver · Jul 2023 · Freediving Certification · Jul 2018 · Freediving Rescue Course · Jul 2025
Volunteer
May 2025 – Present
Board Member — InspiraSTEM

STEM career mentorship for university students in El Salvador, focusing on ocean science career development and the annual STEM conference.

Oct – Dec 2025
SOS Cagarro — Shearwater Rescue Brigade, Spea

Night rescue patrols in São Miguel Island during Cory's shearwater migration season. Contributed to the rescue of 890 shearwaters in 2025.

Work with me

These are the areas
we can collaborate

Whether you're building a project with a marine science-based approach or are looking for a multilingual voice for your platform or event — I'd love to hear about it. Let's talk!

Project CollaborationOpen to partnerships in shark science/conservation & management, capacity-building, ocean education, and community-led ocean projects.
Science WritingArticles, policy briefs, op-eds, and science journalism in English and Spanish — for academic, NGO, and public audiences.
ConsultingCapacity-building program design for inclusive ocean conservation, with a focus on Global South communities and early-career professionals.
Public SpeakingKeynotes, panels, workshops, and seminars.
Currently exploring!
Translation & InterpretationConsecutive interpretation and translation across English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Portuguese.
Brand PartnershipsOpen collaborations with freediving, scuba, and ocean-friendly brands or initiatives whose values align with ethical, evidence-based ocean advocacy.

Get in touch

Email is the best way to reach me — for collaborations, speaking invitations, writing inquiries, or just to grab an online café!

All inquiries andreaherrera.contact@gmail.com
Capacity Development Central America
Hub Lead Coordinator capacity.development_centralam@ecopdecade.org
EMA El Salvador
Country Representative elsalvador@em-a.eu
Connect

Let's stay connected