Rosa Vásquez Espinoza

Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a Peruvian chemical biologist and conservationist who founded Amazon Research Internacional, an organization focused on biodiversity research and conservation in the Amazon rainforest. Her work integrates traditional ecological knowledge with modern science, emphasizing sustainable practices and community collaboration.

Early life and education Rosa Vásquez Espinoza was born in Peru, with family roots in both the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. Her upbringing was influenced by her grandmother, a traditional healer in the Andes who relied on medicinal plants to create remedies. She completed a Ph.D. in chemical biology from the University of Michigan.

From 2016 to 2022, Vásquez Espinoza worked in the life science laboratory at the University of Michigan under David H. Sherman, including as a postdoctoral researcher. In 2019, she joined a scientific expedition to the Shanay-timpishka to study its unique ecosystem. During the trip, she collected samples of water, sediment, and microbes, documenting environmental conditions such as temperature and sunlight to better understand the microorganisms thriving in the river’s extreme heat.