Congratulations to Génesis Quintero on successfully defending her undergraduate thesis and earning her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Panama!
As the first student to graduate from our research group, Génesis marks an important milestone for our lab. We’re proud of her achievement and wish her continued success in her scientific career.
Mentes Brillantes: Gaspar Bruner-Montero, a Panamanian Scientist Studying Ants on Coiba Island
Telemetro Reporta | 2026
Dr. Gaspar Bruner-Montero was featured on Telemetro’s Mentes Brillantes, highlighting his research on leaf-cutter ants and their ecological interactions on Coiba Island, Panama.
The report explores how studying these remarkable insects and their relationships with microorganisms can help us better understand tropical ecosystems, biodiversity, and their responses to environmental challenges, including climate change.
Watch the original report on Telemetro
Our undergraduate thesis students, Catherin and Genesis, are showcasing the research projects we're developing at Coiba-AIP. We're sharing our research with the public and engaging visitors in conversations about science, biodiversity, and tropical ecosystems.
Our research team explored the tropical habitats of Cébaco Island as part of our ongoing studies on biodiversity and ecological interactions.
TR Verde: Ants, Nature’s Tiny Engineers
Telemetro Reporta | 2026
Dr. Gaspar Bruner-Montero was featured on Telemetro’s TR Verde, discussing the fascinating biology of fungus-growing ants, their symbiotic relationships with microorganisms, and their ecological importance in tropical ecosystems.
Watch the original report on Telemetro
We organized the first Coiba-AIP Student Research Symposium, providing an opportunity for students to present their research progress, share scientific ideas, and receive feedback from fellow researchers.
Members of our research group presented updates on their ongoing projects, highlighting their contributions to the study of tropical biodiversity and biological interactions.
A great opportunity to celebrate student research and encourage the next generation of scientists.
From fungus-growing ants (Attini) to termites, we spent several days conducting field research in Panama alongside Cameron Currie (McMaster University, Canada), Hongjie Li (Zhejiang University, China), and Hermogenes Fernandez (INDICASAT).