Lucia Victoria Licero Villanueva

Lucia Victoria Licero Villanueva is an Affiliated Researcher who specializes in Marine and Coastal Resilience at SEI Latin America. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, which she obtained in 2013. Later, Lucia pursued an international Master of Science in Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation as a DAAD scholarship holder at Greifswald University in Germany. She graduated from the program in March 2022.

With over 9 years of hands-on experience in various projects that focus on the ecology and ecological restoration of mangroves and coastal wetlands, as well as integrated coastal management and coastal resilience approaches. She is an expert in project design and management, pre-feasibility analysis, NbS accounting, seascape approach design, and rendering climate-smart livelihoods. Her contributions have consistently supported planning and decision-making processes for coastal management, ensuring resilience thinking and coastal protection.

Lucia is interested in the intersection of the Social Realm and the scientific field. She’s drawn to Citizen Science, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, biocultural restoration, and using remote sensing tools aligned with AI for monitoring. Lucia recognizes AI’s pivotal role in decision-making processes and coastal management practices. She’s passionate about bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and community engagement. Lucia believes in collaborative and inclusive practices to address challenges facing marine and coastal ecosystems. She strives to contribute meaningfully to their conservation and sustainable management, ensuring their resilience for today and tomorrow.