Jem is a Filipina Fulbright Scholar from the Philippines and PhD candidate in the Ecological Science Program of Old Dominion University. She has over a decade of experience in conducting research in various settings, including private consulting, environmental non-profits and the academe. Outside doing her research on determining the extinction risk of fishes in the marine aquarium trade, she is heavily involved in various initiatives advocating for international students at ODU, promoting women in STEM, and diversity, equity and inclusion. She loves musical theater, karaoke, hiking, cycling, and off-road triathlons.