Alejandra Martínez Melo

Alejandra Melo serves as a researcher at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she has worked for four years. With approximately 15 years of experience in the field, she specializes in the evolution of sea urchins and works extensively with their fossils. She earned her master's degree and PhD in marine biology from the National University of Mexico and completed two postdocs in paleontology. In addition to her research, Melo manages a large collection of specimens and has co-authored a book on the morphology of sea urchins. She maintains affiliations with the Paleontology Society and the Association of Women in Sciences. Earlier in her career, she worked at the National University of Mexico and served as a scuba diving instructor.