Shisbeth, originally from Honduras, is a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University. She earned her M.Sc. in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Wildlands Science and Management with a Certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology at Texas Tech University. In addition, she holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Development from Zamorano University (Honduras). During the last year of her bachelor’s, she had the opportunity to work on an internship at Colorado State University, researching old mining effects on microbial communities in the Arkansas River.
Shisbeth focused on pesticides and land-use effects on water quality and aquatic life during her masters. More specifically, she developed a long-term study looking at how pesticide use and land cover changes have influenced toxic bloom formation in Texas Lakes. In her Ph.D. program, she is interested in determining how toxic algae, in combination with pesticides and other chemicals, alter gene expression and other molecular mechanisms in aquatic organisms.
One of the main issues that Honduras is facing is the lack of water and its poor quality, which directly affects food security, especially in rural areas. Shisbeth aims to contribute to developing new technologies that help improve water resources, ensuring human and environmental health in her home country and Latin America.