Coastal management; Conservation; Wetlands; Citizen science; Operational oceanography; Aquaculture; Upwelling; Climate change

Co-supervisor
Camila Sola, Miss (ended). Bachelor of Marine Biology. Universidad Andrés Bello. Date: From 1-12-2018 to 31-12-2019. Course/Activity: Bachelor Thesis. Research Title: ‘Efectos de la variabilidad ambiental asociada a la surgencia costera en la bahía de Tongoy sobre la calcificación, crecimiento y mortalidad del ostión del norte Argopecten purpuratus’. Qualification: 6.6 / 7.0

Lectures
- 2025. Member of the academic staff of the Postgraduate Program at the Catholic University of the North (Master's in Public Policy and Territorial Governance).
- 2024. Guest lecturer in courses in the following studies: marine biology and systems engineering (Universidad Católica del Norte), architecture (Universidad Central), pedagogy (Universidad Santo Tomás), veterinary (Universidad del Alba), geomining (CEDUCUCN) and Universidad Austral de Chile.
- 2024. Academic member of an expert panel in the Capacity-Building Project for Regional and Local Implementation of the Framework Law on Climate Change, carried out by the Faculty of Law in collaboration with the Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2) at the University of Chile.
- 2024-2025. Lecturer in the course "Applications of the Framework Law on Climate Change" for CORFO staff; delivered lectures on adaptation measures, strategies, and case studies on building resilience.

Professional internship
- Alejandro Reyes – Geologist (March – November 2023): Report on the delimitation of the El Culebrón wetland according to Law 21202 criteria, which will be used for citizen participation in the process of declaring it an urban wetland. In addition, Alejandro presented his work online at the ESP (section Congresses and Conferences).
- Isidora Montalván – Marine biologist (October - December 2023): Systematization of threats, participation in American oystercatcher nesting monitoring and working groups.
- Ignacio Díaz – Marine biologist (September-December 2024): Systematization of threats and impacts in the Culebrón coastal wetland, report writing.

Educational material
- 2023. Educational guide for environmental monitoring with schools. https://zenodo.org/records/10182858
- 2022. Workshop Introduction to CTD: Use and data processing – Organizer
- 2021-2022. Infographics CEAZAMar. Available at https://www.ceazamar.cl/ceazamar-infografias/
- Participation in the development of: “Technical guide for the aquaculture student: Environmental parameters, organism biology, culture technology and principles for climate change adaptation”. Available at: http://www.ceaza.cl/guia-tecnica-acuicultura/. It was used with high school students in MAEX program of CEAZA in Liceo Carmen Rodríguez Henríquez de Tongoy (Chile). 2016-2019.

Chapter Scientist, Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 WGII, Chapter 12 – Central and South America of the Working Group II Contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report - AR6 (2018-2021).

MEMBER of the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity and the Chilean Society of Socioecology and Ethnoecology

OUTREACH
2024. Guide “Wetlands of Coquimbo Bay”. https://zenodo.org/records/14004024
2023. Infographics Nature’s contributions to people of the wetland El Culebrón and Changa beach. Infografía Contribuciones basadas en la naturaleza del humedal El Culebrón y Playa Changa. https://zenodo.org/records/8006295
2022. Infographics CEAZAmar: https://ceazamar.cl/ceazamar-infografias/
2022. Infographic and video of the Memory Project of the tsunami of September 16, 2015: https://zenodo.org/records/10199198 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U46vaukcqLg
2022. Cuento “La Orquesta del Humedal” (CEAZA). Scientific consulting.
2022. Explora Coquimbo Project. Scientific Support in Research and Innovation Scholar program (IIE). Colegio Cambridge School, Salamanca (Coquimbo).
2022. Podcast: AdaptaClim project: “Climate conversations: coastal zone at risk in the Coquimbo Region” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfnzBT7xonI and Spotify.
2022. Video: AdaptaClim project: Coastal Zone at risk (Minister of Environment Chile): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4iiZWgc5yA
2021: Oceanographic Lab: Outreach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYXC6a3Uu4Y&t=3s
2021. Explora Coquimbo Project. Scientific Support in Research and Innovation Scholar program (IIE). Colegio Diego de Almagro, Los Vilos (Coquimbo). What is the perception of the Los Pelambres mining desalination plant in the community of Los Vilos?
Talks and Scientific Events (2020-2021):
• Podcast: XIV Fiesta de la Ciencia y la Tecnología 2020 Explora Sur Oriente (2 podcasts: “Ocean deoxygenation” and “Questions and answers about the sea”) (11-15 November 2020)
• Talk: Explora Arica Parinacota y Explora Sur Oriente: “What is coastal upwelling and how do we measure this oceanographic process?” (26 January 2021)
• Talk: Explora Coquimbo: “Talking about the importance of caring for our beaches” (27 January 2021)
• Talk: Observatorio de la Costa-CIGIDEN: “Problems of the coastal zone in the Coquimbo Region - Dunes and beaches of the Coquimbo Region” (11 November 2020)
2019. Fundación Mar y Ciencia. Mujeres de Mar. 2019. Interview. Available: http://maryciencia.org/contenido/inicio/maria-valladares-nuestro-oceano-no-ha-sido-muestreado-lo-suficiente-una-desventaja-ante-el-cambio-climatico/. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fundacionmaryciencia/
2018. ESMOI. 2018. I Roto Te Moana o Rapa Nui, Marine Biodiversity of Rapa Nui. Oceanography: Oceanographic conditions in the ecoregion of Easter Island. Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile. 173 pp. Available at: http://www.esmoi.cl/science-digest/
2018. Outreach talk "Oceanographic measurements in Juan Fernández archipelago" hold in Sindicato de Pescadores, Robinson Crusoe island.
2018-present. Member of local environmental NGO Surgencia, focused on protection, conservation and education in marine and coastal ecosystems, Coquimbo (Chile).
2016-2018. MAEX program (CEAZA). Knowledge transfer activities within the project “Strengthening R&D, development of abilities and technological foundations for the adaptation to climate change in the bivalve aquaculture” in the Aquaculture Technical School Carmen Rodríguez Henríquez de Tongoy.

CONFERENCES
2025. Speaker at the “Regional Forum for Climate Action”. Green Climate Fund and FAO. La Serena, Chile.
2024. IV National Meeting of Communication and Science Outreach Professionals in Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation. Poster “What is a natural laboratory?” Valparaíso, Chile.
2024. COP16 (October 2024). Oral presentation: “Humboldt Archipelago. A Hope Spot as a natural laboratory”. Side event Chile Pavilion Blue Zone: The Chilean Sea: a natural laboratory for biodiversity and other ocean challenges. Cali, Colombia.
2024. 10th Western Hemisphere Shorebird Group Meeting (August 2024). “Participatory monitoring experiences for the conservation of the coastal zone of Coquimbo Bay, Chile.” Sackville, Canadá.
2024. IV Colloquium of the Chilean Society of Socioecology and Ethnoecology (SOSOET) (August 2024) “Participatory monitoring for conservation decision-making in the El Culebrón wetland in Coquimbo, Chile”. University Catholic of the North, Coquimbo, Chile.
2023. 4th International Ecosystem Services Partnership Latin America and Caribbean Conference 2023. (November 2023) - “Disaster memory and regulating services in El Culebron wetland (Coquimbo, Chile)” and “Evaluación y Gestión para la restauración de Humedales Urbanos: El Caso del Humedal El Culebrón (Coquimbo)”. La Serena, Chile.
2023. XIII National Congress of Landscape Architecture of Mexico. (October 2023) - Poster “Governance, monitoring, and habitat management for shorebird conservation in critical coastal sites in Chile.” Mexicali, Mexico.
2023. II Conference on Illustration, Outreach and Communication of the Science of Biodiversity Conservation. Conservation and Human Wellbeing Laboratory. (September 28-29, 2023) - “Participatory experiences for the enhancement of the coastal area of Coquimbo Bay through co-design processes and disaster memory.” Viña del Mar, Chile.
2023. Seminar on Urban Design of the Coastal Border of Playa Changa. University of La Serena and Municipality of Coquimbo, September 13, 2023 - “Changa Beach and El Culebrón Wetland: Inseparable Ecosystems”. La Serena, Chile.
2023. III Colloquium of the Chilean Society of Socioecology and Ethnoecology (SOSOET) (August 2023) – “Community-based initiatives to promote social-ecological restoration of wetlands: lessons learned from local experiences". Concepción, Chile.
2023. Seminar “Management of the Commons in the coastal zone” IPPUCN and UCN Law School. Coquimbo, Chile.
2023. “Scaling-up Nature-based Solutions in Latin America.” (February 2023) – Poster: “Coquimbo Bay: Integrated Strategy for Conservation and Building of Coastal Resilience.” Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
2022. Sola-Hidalgo, Camila, Ramajo, Laura, Valladares, María, Astudillo, Orlando, Inostroza, Jorge. “Effects of upwelling in calcification, growth and mortality of chilean northern scallop (Argopecten purpuratus) cultured in Tongoy bay (30° 12 ?S, 71° 34 ?W)”. 5th International Symposium On The Ocean In A High CO2 World. Lima, Perú.
2022. Marine Science Congress (Concepción, Chile). Workshop “Planificación climática efectiva: respuestas de la biósfera al cambio climático y la variabilidad a múltiples escalas en el centro-norte de Chile”:
• Ramajo Laura, Arthur Jacinta, Aguirre Catalina, Valladares María, Aburto Jaime, Ojea Elena, Lanas Javiera. Pesquería artesanal de la macha: percepción del cambio climático.
• Ramajo Laura, Sola-Hidalgo Camila, Valladares María, Astudillo Orlando, Inostroza Jorge. Sensibilidad del ostión del norte Argopecten purpuratus al patrón estacional de surgencia en Bahía de Tongoy.
• González Constanza, Ramajo Laura, Farías Laura, Valladares María. Estado actual de la observación oceanográfica en la Región de Coquimbo.
• Jacob Bárbara, Astudillo Orlando, Valladares María, Dewitte Boris, Álvarez Gonzalo, Medel Carolina, Yannicelli Beatriz, Ramos Marcel. Alta abundancia y diversidad de fitoplancton controlada por vientos favorables a la surgencia de baja frecuencia
2021. Ramajo Laura, Valladares María & Inostroza Jorge. Beneficios y desafíos de la plataforma integrada meteorológica-oceanográfica en la Bahía de Tongoy (Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA)). I Workshop on oceanographic time series in Chile (23 noviembre 2021) CONA y DOCA, Concepción, Chile.
2019. Olavarria C, Buchan S, Santos-Carvallo M, Oyanadel J, Sepulveda M, Ramos M, Valladares M, Maldonado M, Stone M. Fin and blue whale distribution, diet and zooplankton backscatter around Isla Chañaral, Northern Chile. World Marine Mammal Conference, Barcelona.
2018. Yannicelli B, Ramos M, Veliz D, Dewitte B, Bravo L, Hernández K, Meerhoff R, Amaral V, Testa G, Varela C, Valladares M, Zambra D. Challenges for conservation in oceanic islands: an oceanographic perspective on Easter Island and Salas y Gomez, isolated islands in the most oligotrophic ocean gyre. XXXVIII Congreso Ciencias del Mar, Valdivia (Chile).
2018. L. Antonio Cuevas, Paulina Y. Contreras, Narváez Diego, Bernardo Broitman, María Valladares & Cristian A. Vargas. Series de tiempo del sistema de carbonatos. Ejemplos de estudio en la zona costera. XXXVIII Congreso Ciencias del Mar, Valdivia (Chile).
2018. Ramajo, L., Rodriguez-Romero, A., Núñez, Y., Fernández, C., Caballero, P., Valladares, M., Watt, P., Nuñez, M., Poupín, MJ., Broitman B., Lardies, M. “Understanding physiological mechanisms of Chilean scallop to the multiple-stressor scenario of upwelling by using an experimental integrative approach”. Kiel 2018 Ocean Deoxygenation Conference.
2017. Bravo, L; Ramos, M.; Valladares, M. Variabilidad estacional de las Corrientes inerciales sobre la plataforma marina de Isla Rapa-Nui. V DOCA, Concepción (Chile).
2017. Pérez-Santos, I.; Bravo, L.; Ramos, M.; Narváez, D.; Valladares, M; Donoso, D. Procesos de mezcla vertical desde la costa a Islas Desventuradas (24-27ª S). V DOCA, Concepción (Chile).
2017. Lara, C.; Pinochet, A.; Núñez, M.; Valladares, M.; Contreras, P.; Cuevas, A.; Vargas, C.; Broitman, B. MODIS desde espacio: variaciones temporales de la Clorofila-a y Temperatura Superficial del Mar en la Bahía de Tongoy. V DOCA, Concepción (Chile).
2017. Yannicelli, B.E.; Brokordt, K.; Gallardo, M.A.; Núñez, V.; Oyarce, P.; Ramos, M.; Rojas, I.; Sellanes, J.; Thiel, M.; Valladares, M. "Temperature-oxygen modulation of Pleuroncodes monodon reproductive variability: laboratory and field observations during ENSO 2015-2016". ASLO Hawai'i.
2015. Marcel Ramos, Edward Peñalver, Luis Bravo, Marcelo Valdebenito, María Valladares. “Oceanographic conditions evolution in Huasco (~20°30'S) El Niño 2015”. IV Congreso de Oceanografía Física, Meteorología y Clima. 18-20 November 2015.
2012. Sánchez-Leal, R.F.; González-Pola, C.; Ruiz-Villarreal, M.; Castaño, R., Valladares, M. and M.P. Jiménez. “Mediterranean waters routes on the border of the western platform in the Gulf of Cadiz". 3rd International Symposium of Marine Science. Cadiz, Spain, January 2012.
2012. M. Valladares, J. Benavente, Plomaritis, T.A. "Influence of permeability in the natural recovery of beaches: examples from the Cadiz coast". 3rd International Symposium of Marine Science. Cádiz, Spain, January 2012.
2008. M. Valladares, A. El Mrini, J. Benavente, G. Anfuso, D. Nachite y M. Taaouati. “Volumetric change and short-term evolution of Tres Piedras beach, North Morocco". X Geomorphology National Meeting (Spanish Geomorphology Society). Cádiz, Spain, September 2008.

SCIENCE-POLICY
Participation in committees
2023-2025. Lead role in El Culebrón Wetland Commiittee. IPPUCN-CEAZA-Municipality of Coquimbo.
2022-present. Environmental Governance Committee of the Municipality of Coquimbo.
2023-2025. Elqui Wetland Technical Committee.
2023-2025. Regional Environmental Advisory Committee – Coquimbo Region.

Participation in public policy reports
2025. Update of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 2025. Ministry of Science. Participation in workshops.
2025. Thematic Report on Oceans-Climate-Biodiversity Nexus. Ministry of Science. Participation in workshops.
2024-2025. Development of an Action Plan for the Conservation of Wetland Birds in Chile. Audubon/Ministry of Environment. Core group.
2024-2025. Management Plan for the Elqui River Urban Wetland: From Altovalsol to the River Mouth. GEF Coastal Wetlands/Ministry of Environment. Participation in workshops.

PRESS
2025. Speaker at Radio America.
2025. “The importance of protecting coastal wetlands”. Diario El Día.
2025. “An endangered species detected for the first time in Coquimbo in the Elqui River wetland”. Diario El Día, Cooperativa Ciencia.
2025. “International research network unites social and natural sciences to address gender bias in biodiversity data generation”.
2025. “Wetlands Day 2025 – A look at collaborative action in the Coquimbo Region”. El Coquimbano, MiradioLS.
2024. “Rangers of the La Serena and Coquimbo wetlands protection pilot initiative receive recognition”. MiradioLS, La Vision, Serena y Coquimbo, Litoral Press
2023. “Coquimbo Region Wetland Meeting”. ANID, El Coquimbano, Plataforma Costera.
2023. “Participatory monitoring in El Culebrón wetland”. Plataforma Costera, Ministry of Environment.
2023. “The educational community of the Coquimbo region received training in wetland observation”. Ministry of Environment web page, La Serena Online.
2023. Seminar on Management of Common Goods in the Coastal Zone.
2023. Online newspaper: “Constituyen consejo consultivo del medio ambiente de la Región de Coquimbo”. El Observatodo, La Serena Online.
2023. Online: Scientific monitoring in El Culebrón Weltand.
2023. Online: “Investigadora-recibe-beca-que-apoyara-conservacion-de-biodiversidad-y-el-bienestar-humano-en-la-bahia-de-coquimbo”.
2022. Online newspaper: “Investigan riesgos para el cultivo de la macha y el ostión debido al cambio climático. May 2022: El Mostrador, MundoAcuícola, Radio Agricultura, Diario El Coquimbano
2022. Online newspaper: ”Presentan los principales riesgos de la Región de Coquimbo frente al Cambio Climático: uva pisquera y extracción de machas en peligro”. April 2022: Radio Miradiols, Diarioid.cl, OvalleHoy, El Observatodo
2022. Blog Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID). ”Las mujeres del clima en la Región de Coquimbo”. 16-3-2022. https://www.anid.cl/blog/2022/03/16/las-mujeres-del-clima-en-la-region-de-coquimbo/
2022. Newspaper Diario El Día: Especial Día de la Mujer: ”Científicas en Acción Las mujeres del clima en la Región de Coquimbo”. 8-3-2022.
2020. Newspaper and Radio (2020): Diario El Mercurio Conservacionistas, Diario Tiempo, Fundación Mar y Ciencia, Aqua, Mundo Acuícola, Diario El Día, TERRAM, Radio Cooperativa (Congreso Futuro), Radio TXS (Ciencia del Futuro).

LANGUAGES Native speaker: Spanish | Other languages: English (C1 - IELTS 7.5), Portuguese (B1) and German (A1)