Empowering Voices Series: Exploring the Systematics and Evolution of Fish

In the first talk of the “Empowering Voices: Research Talks in Spanish” series at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, scientist Adela Roa-Varón invites us to explore why some species thrive while others disappear.

The global challenge of biodiversity loss, driven by overfishing and habitat degradation, is a critical issue. Understanding how fish species interact and how they have evolved over time and space is essential for their conservation and the well-being of the communities that rely on them.

This talk will take attendees on a journey through two decades of research, exploring how various tools —from genetics to ecology and geochemistry— help uncover the secrets of key species such as cod, hake, snapper, and ratfish, among others. These species play vital roles in ecosystems and fisheries worldwide. The session will highlight how science provides innovative insights for their conservation and sustainable management.

The Empowering voices program is intended to include a series of scientific talks in Spanish to disseminate the research conducted at the museum in a clear and accesible manner. Each talk will be followed by a dedicated Q&A session, inviting attendees to engage with the speakers.

Dr. Adela Roa-Varón

Dr. Adela Roa-Varón is a scientist with more than 20 years of experience in the systematics and evolutionary biology of fish. She was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and her passion for fish began during her undergraduate studies. Since then, she has had the opportunity to work with species that inhabit areas from the poles to the tropics, and from shallow waters to the abyssal depths.

Her research integrates both classic and cutting-edge tools, such as genomics, morphology, and geochemistry, to study how fish are related to each other and how they have evolved over time and space. Her research particularly focuses on Gadiformes (cods, haddocks, and whiting), as well as other commercially valuable species, such as snappers, which are crucial for both ecosystems and fisheries management.