Geology Professor Studies Tropical Island Environments With Graduate Students

Yurena Yanes says she looks at her discipline-bending research and island-hopping career as an “endless process.”

Yanes, an assistant professor in the University of Cincinnati Department of Geology, finds passion in researching live and fossilized land snails, whose shells hold stories of climates past – and wants to share her expertise with students both in Cincinnati and around the world.

Decoding the past through the language of snail shells requires a multidisciplinary approach. Her work links isotope geochemistry, or measuring distinct chemical elements to determine the age and environmental history of samples with paleoecology, or using data from fossils to reconstruct past ecosystems and other fields of scientific study.

Yanes grew up in the lush environment of the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of Morocco. She said it was a natural progression to “fall in love with the richness of organisms and tropical islands.” Her research combines her love of the teaching, research and island environments.

This summer, she’s traveling with graduate students and geology Professor Arnie Miller back to the Canary Islands to collect new samples to study along with her students. Her scientific projects have taken her across the world – from Morocco and Glasgow to Trinidad and Hawaii.

Prior to joining the UC community in January 2013, she worked at Virginia Tech University, University of Georgia, Southern Methodist University and CSIC-University of Granada.

When she interviewed with the geology faculty for the job at UC, she immediately felt a connection to the campus and community.

“Before I even finished the interview, I knew this was my place,” she said. “I know I made the right choice. It’s like a big family here, and I feel supported by everyone.”

As a woman, immigrant and member of the Latino community, Yanes said she has had more to overcome as she navigates her career in higher education.

When Yanes initially moved to the United States, she knew no one and had a limited understanding of English. But she knew she wanted to study and work with the brightest minds in science.

“I’m constantly learning,” she said. “Not only from my co-workers and my mentors, but also from my students. I feel like it’s a constant process. I always want to be learning and growing.”

The Office of the Provost, under the leadership of Dr. Beverly Davenport, assisted in more than 15 new minority faculty hires, including Yanes, within eight months. The Provost is investing more than $800,000 over the next three years to increase diversity and excellence at the university.

Yanes encourages female students to go into STEM fields, and said she strives to be a mentor to other women.

“If you want something bad enough, you can accomplish whatever you want with passion and hard work, no matter what your gender or nationality is,” she said.