About Pablo Macias Lopez

I’m a junior at Yale University double-majoring in Environmental Studies and Film & Media Studies, focusing on geophysical oceanography and sustainable filmmaking. My research combines remote sensing and large-scale numerical modeling to understand how coastal modifications in the atoll islands, specifically the Maldives, reshape sediment transport, biodiversity, and reef-island formation. I’m especially interested in whether naturally occurring reticulate reef structures and self-organized lagoon morphologies can be adapted in Maldivian atolls as biomimetic climate-resilience strategies that protect coasts while supporting keystone species like parrotfish and manta rays.

Alongside this work, I’m developing crowdsourced sustainable diving software utilizing fine-scale photogrammetric models of coral reefs to aid key stakeholders in monitoring reef health and large-scale structure via immersive AR experiences. I approach environmental challenges through scientific modeling and innovative solutions, aiming to assess coastal risk and financially manage sustainable blue economies through immersive scientific communication.

With a distant background in cosmology and film scoring, I also investigate environmental crimes through narrative and documentary film.

Outside of my scientific work, I enjoy recreational scuba diving worldwide, preserving celluloid film, and composing orchestral scores for films, planetariums, dark rides, and aquariums.