Catalina Román PhD '26: Growing through research and community

Catalina Román arrived at UMass Dartmouth's School of Marine Sciences & Technology (SMAST) in 2021. After completing her undergraduate and master's degrees in her home country of Chile, she was looking for a place to get her PhD. Roman discovered SMAST on social media and found an opportunity to continue her academic career in the U.S.. Five years later, she is not only very close to graduating and getting her PhD in Living Marine Resources and Management, but she has also found connections and a community that supports her along the way.

Román is an international student from Chile, who, after gaining international experience through an internship during her master's degree, knew she wanted to explore opportunities abroad. She was interested in finding a faculty member in her field of fisheries science. When she met Associate Professor of Fisheries Oceanography Gavin Fay, she knew SMAST was the right choice.

"It's important to emphasize that science is present in everything; it represents progress and generates human capital, whether in your country of origin or in any other country; it is always good to have scientists — lots of scientists."

Beyond the lab: Getting involved at SMAST

Román has been very busy with her research on the impacts of offshore wind development on scientific fisheries surveys, but she has also found time to get involved in the community.

Over the years, she has taken on several leadership roles at SMAST, serving as vice president of both the Society for Women in Marine Sciences and the Marine Science Student Association, as well as secretary of the former. 

Through these roles, she has helped coordinate meetings and student activities, creating opportunities for students to connect with and engage with the marine science community. Her involvement also extends to organizing academic events, including the Intercampus Marine Science Symposium in 2024 and Quantfish Seminars designed to train graduate students on modeling and statistical methods used in marine science.

Finding community at SMAST

Román came to UMass Dartmouth looking for a place to get her PhD but along the way, she found something important: a community.

"I really like the community here," she said.

Román explains how there is a big community of out-of-state and international students, and how she has been able to make friends from places she had never even heard of before coming to SMAST.

"That makes the experience of sharing things — both things we have in common and things that are very different — so enriching."

For Román, this diversity has made her experience as an international student especially valuable. Being surrounded by people from different backgrounds gives students the opportunity to exchange experiences, discover connections, and learn from one another.

The importance of studying marine science

"It's important to emphasize that science is present in everything; it represents progress and generates human capital, whether in your country of origin or in any other country; it is always good to have scientists — lots of scientists," she said.

Even though Catalina said that the reasons she initially chose to study marine biology differ from what she is doing now, she still believes in the importance of science, especially the science related to the ocean, given its close connection to climate change

"Many of the early signs of climate change have been observed in the ocean for several years now — and indeed, for several decades," said Román.

She also emphasizes the real changes and impact that scientists can have on society: "The more research we produce, the more we can equip policymakers to bring about real change."

Sharing science with the next generation

Román has also been involved as a mentor in an internship program for New Bedford High School students, which gives teenagers the opportunity to learn about marine science by working alongside researchers at SMAST.

She has mentored students through the program several times and enjoys teaching in an environment where learning is driven by curiosity rather than grades. She is particularly impressed by how quickly students can learn new skills, such as coding, and values the opportunity to share her knowledge with the next generation.

Building a future in marine science

Throughout her time at SMAST, Román has made good use of all the resources available to her, and continues to look for opportunities to develop professionally. Her next goal is to find a postdoc position, ideally in the area, particularly in New England. She also emphasizes the support the university provides in helping students achieve these goals.

"It's definitely a supportive community. From recommendation letters to everything else, the dean and professors are constantly sharing job and postdoc opportunities here and elsewhere every day."

A welcoming place to grow

When asked why other international students should consider SMAST, Román returned to the idea that has shaped her own experience: it's a welcoming community.

"Most people are always there to help you. From the staff in the administrative office to the managers, the IT staff, and even the dean himself, he's very approachable. He's someone who knows exactly who each of the people and students at SMAST are."

Catalina also highlights the school's connections with researchers and institutions beyond SMAST.

"They're always very interested in hearing from people outside the school. We have two weekly seminars so we can constantly learn about what people are doing elsewhere or share what we're doing here at SMAST. These are groups that are interconnected within the school, but also connected to other organizations. It's a school with good connections and good resources."

For Román, these resources and connections are part of what makes SMAST a supportive place to pursue a PhD. But when she describes her experience, she returns to the people who have helped shape it. She arrived looking for an opportunity to continue her education, and along the way, she found a community where she could learn, contribute, and help others discover marine science.

This story was co-written by Mariana Peñafiel Ide '29, a communication major and University Marketing intern.