1. What do you study related to biodiversity (what are your research questions, what organisms do you work on)?
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 My current research on flowering plants focuses on systematics of the Neotropical flora, especially on the taxonomy, ecology, and geography of the Myrtaceae, the Myrtle family. My research also includes collaborative work on general floristic studies in northern Peru and in Brazil.
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2. How do you study biodiversity (for example, what technological tools and methodologies do you use in your research)?
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My studies are based on observations of herbarium specimens and fieldwork.
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3. Where do you study biodiversity?
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I have contributed to floristic studies in Brazil (‘campos rupestres’, ‘cerrados’, Amazon region, and Atlantic coastal forests), Central French Guiana (lowland forests), and in northern Peru (montane, lowland, and ‘jalca’ vegetation).
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4. How might your research have implications for biological conservation?
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New species and new records have resulted from floristic studies (checklists and floras) and monographs; these scientific data help support recommendations for protecting threatened regions and for the establishment of areas of conservation.
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5. How did you become interested in science? What made you want to be a scientist, and how did you get to The Field Museum?
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I always liked to read books on natural history, biographies of scientists, their journeys, and their minds. I started to work at the Field Museum in 1992, helping with the conservation projects developed by Dr. Robin Foster; I returned to the Field Museum in 2001, to work as the Neotropical Collections Specialist.
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6. Describe important collaborations for your scientific endeavors (describe your work with other researchers, organizations, or scientific groups, local or indigenous peoples, etc.)
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My scientific studies have included collaborative work with Bruce K. Holst (Marie Selby Botanical Gardens), Dr. Leslie Landrum (Arizona State University), Dr. Scott Mori, Dr. Douglas Daly, and Dr. James Luteyn (all from the New York Botanical Garden); Dr. Marco A. Pizo (Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, Brasil); Dr. Alessandro Rapini (Universidade Federal de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil) projects with Brazilian institutions (Universidade de Sao Paulo and Instituto de Botanica); and staff members of the Field Museum (Dr. Michael Dillon, Dr. Robin Foster, and Dr. Fred Barrie).
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