Meet the Team
Meet the interns and volunteers for the Fungal Eco-diversity Project in Honduras: Conservation, Indigenous Collaboration, and Ecosystem Dynamics funded by SPUN. This is a multidisciplinary team in the sciences field, with graduates from different universities in Honduras.

Welsy Ramirez
Biologist , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH)
Welsy Marisol Ramírez Palma is a biologist graduated from the National Autonomous University of Honduras. Her areas of interest include wildlife management, focusing especially on mammals, birds, and amphibians, as well as water quality, geographic information system tools, and data analysis. One of her favorite hobbies is using the Seek app, which allows her to identify flora and fauna almost immediately, generate a record of the identified species, and share her findings on the iNaturalist platform. In addition to her passion for biology, Welsy enjoys spending time with her family, watching anime, and movies.

Carlos Valladares
Agronomist, Universidad Nacional de Agricultura (UNAG)
Carlos Valladares is an agricultural engineer graduated from the National University of Agriculture. Among his areas of interest, plant pathology and its relationship with microscopic organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, stand out. These organisms fascinate him deeply, as they represent a world to explore with the possibility of finding answers that could significantly contribute to improving the agricultural sector and the environment.
In his free time, Carlos enjoys various hobbies, including meeting up with good friends and playing the guitar.

Valeria Avila
Environmental Engineer, Universidad Catolica de Honduras (UNICAH)
Valeria Ávila Reyes is an environmental engineer whose interest in scientific research was ignited during an international experience where she was part of a project in the Gulf of Mexico. This experience was not only rewarding but also enlightened her about the significance of research in her professional field. Valeria is particularly keen on investigating topics related to renewable energy, the impacts of climate change on benthic communities, and wastewater study, all with the aim of making a positive impact in her role as an environmental engineer. In her leisure time, Valeria enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and traveling.