Marcel Alexandre Velasquez Sayago

Born on Margarita Island, Venezuela, my research journey has taken me from warm coastal waters to Arctic fjords as a Ph.D. candidate in Oceanography at Université Laval. Working in the Benthic Ecology Lab, I investigate how environmental changes (e.g., climate change) affect marine foundation species like kelp forests and blue mussels. My approach combines cold-water diving surveys with high-performance computing to understand how these ecosystems trap and store blue carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation strategies.

This research extends beyond ecological monitoring through meaningful collaborations with Inuit communities in Ungava Bay, where I examine how these marine ecosystems support both biodiversity and food security for indigenous populations. When not conducting fieldwork beneath the ice or analyzing data, I share marine ecology knowledge with future ocean stewards, emphasizing these ecosystems’ critical role in biodiversity conservation.

In my free time, I can often be found snowboarding on Quebec’s slopes.