Faye Romero
Early Career Leadership Multimedia Subcommittee
University of Rochester

Research Interest 

We are in a global biodiversity crisis. Habitats are shrinking, and populations of organisms across the world are going extinct at unprecedented rates. As an evolutionary biologist, I have a duty to ask: Why do some species go extinct? What determines the rate of their decline? Are there any ways to predict the fate of certain populations? We can begin exploring these questions by studying wild populations of conservation concern. These populations are typically small and locally isolated and are, therefore, predicted to have higher levels of inbreeding due to the scarcity of non-related mates. As the generations progress, the offspring of closely related parents start to show reduced fitness, such as shorter life spans or less robust immune function. As the population size continues to shrink, these effects become exacerbated until the population eventually goes extinct; this is known as the “extinction vortex.” Although it has been observed many times in the wild, we know very little about the genetic causes of this process. How does increased frequency of inbreeding manifest at the genetic level? How many and which regions of the genome are responsible for these negative fitness consequences? 

I am investigating these crucial questions in the charismatic and fascinating Florida Scrub-Jay—a bird in the Corvidae family (the same as crows and ravens) found only in Florida. This federally threatened species has declined to less than 10% of its original numbers over the past century due to human-induced development and fire suppression. It currently exists in small, locally isolated populations across the state. All individual birds in one population at Archbold Biological Station (ABS) in central Florida have been uniquely marked and monitored since 1969. This has resulted in a 16-generation pedigree with near-complete life history data for each bird. We have also conducted exhaustive genetic sampling and have whole-genome sequence data for nearly every bird that has existed in this population since 1999 (more than 4,000 birds). Previous work has shown that reduced immigration into ABS has caused inbreeding levels to increase and average fitness to decrease over an 18-year period, despite the population appearing relatively stable. My research leverages all these unique datasets to reveal the genetic landscape of inbreeding and how the features of this landscape directly contribute to observed declines in fitness. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to our broader understanding of how small populations evolve over short timescales and move the field of evolutionary genetics towards the ability to predict the trajectory of species under threat, thereby helping to develop conservation management practices.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

I am acutely aware of the fact that science does not exist in a vacuum. It must be  conducted by a diverse body of scientists holding a wide breadth of knowledge and life experiences, and communicated clearly to the public in order to truly make an impact. My ultimate career vision is to hold a research position at a museum, as museums represent the confluence of academic curiosity and equitable access to the wonders of science. Throughout my career, I hope to serve as a bridge and humble guide between these worlds, engaging in both exciting conservation genetics research and science communication, education, and outreach.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise? 

I believe that the systems of academia reinforce a specific pipeline with having a particular educational background and professional resume leading to becoming a “successful” scientist. To conduct good science, however, we must work to recruit and retain scientists from all walks of life. Currently, I’m working within my university to share research opportunities with undergraduates who may be unaware of them, like first-generation and international students. I hope to expand on this work in the future by ultimately advocating for institutional changes that acknowledge and support non-traditional pathways to a career in the sciences.

Additionally, I believe the scientific community will benefit from critiquing the very definitions we use to categorize people as “underrepresented” in STEM fields. One issue that I am very passionate about is Asian American representation in higher education—specifically, the disaggregation of the Asian American monolith and the increased inclusion of underrepresented groups, such as Filipino Americans, in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB). Asian Americans are often subjected to the “model minority” myth: a harmful stereotype, particularly pervasive in academia, that inflates the perceived financial, academic, and social success of Asian Americans in comparison to other minorities. In actuality, Asian Americans are underrepresented in specific fields, like EEB. Many social studies and institutions merge dozens of unique Asian Americans ethnic groups under the broad umbrella of “Asian,” despite these subgroups having vastly different cultures, histories, and lived experiences in the U.S. These two elements combined have masked the disproportionate marginalization of certain “invisible” Asian American identities in higher education. Filipino Americans and other minoritized Asian American groups are often excluded from diversity initiatives, funding opportunities, and conversations about racism due to this perceived Asian monolith. As a Filipino graduate student, I want to bring attention to this issue and start a dialogue amongst fellow academics. 

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish? 

I joined GSA’s Early Career Leadership Program with a few goals in mind: to develop my network of fellow scientists from across disciplines and across the world, explore potential post-PhD career paths and learn how to successfully navigate different job markets, and aid in GSA’s mission to disseminate cutting-edge genetics research to a broad audience. I’m currently working with other members of the Multimedia Subcommittee to develop episodes of GSA’s podcast “Genetics in Your World,” which features discussions with authors of recently published articles in GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics. Our aims are to generate interview questions and guide the conversation to make the science clear and accessible to a wide range of listeners and feature a diverse set of authors that spans career stages, study organisms, and backgrounds. We also work with GSA staff to produce, edit, and publish the episodes, allowing us to learn and participate in a media production pipeline.

Previous leadership experience

I am the founder and member of the Office of Undergraduate Student Relations in the Department of Biology at the University of Rochester (2023–present) and founder and member of the Graduate Student Recruitment Committee in the Department of Biology at the University of Rochester (2022–2023).

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