Dr. María Umaña

Biography

María Natalia Umaña is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on forest community ecology and functional trait ecology, particularly in tropical and temperate forests. Umaña's work aims to understand the ecological mechanisms that drive community structure and dynamics in species-rich ecosystems. Her lab integrates performance information, such as growth and survival, with individual-level trait data to inform interactions among organisms and their environment. She has published significant research on the predictability of survival models in tropical forests, particularly pertaining to stage-specific leaf traits. Umaña is committed to fostering a diverse scientific community, as evidenced by her engagement with students and involvement in initiatives that highlight women in STEM fields. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. and an M.S. from the University of Maryland and Universidad de Los Andes, respectively. She has mentored several graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in her lab, contributing to the academic development of the next generation.

Research Interests