Kat is a population geneticist who applies evolutionary theory to conservation. Her research focuses on how populations persist and generate diversity through dispersal and adaptation. By using advanced genomic approaches, she aims to uncover the mechanisms that species have relied on for rapid adaptation during periods of significant environmental change, providing insights relevant to present-day challenges. Specifically, Kat plans to investigate the adaptive history and geographic spread of Sterechinus spp., a circumpolar Antarctic sea urchin genus of ecological importance, and identify the genomic mechanisms that may enable their persistence.