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About

Adam J. Sepulveda is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of environmental DNA (eDNA) technology, robotics, and freshwater biosurveillance. His work focuses on developing and deploying autonomous sampling systems to monitor biological diversity and ecosystem health across rivers, lakes, and marine environments at scales previously unachievable through traditional field methods. Sepulveda's most influential contribution, "Robotic Environmental DNA Bio-surveillance of Freshwater Health" (2020, 51 citations), demonstrated how robotic Environmental Sample Processors developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) could revolutionize long-term biological monitoring of waterways. Building on this foundation, his 2021 work on integrating eDNA data with broader environmental datasets (21 citations) advanced the vision of merging automated biological observations with abiotic sensor networks for richer ecosystem insights. His ongoing collaborations with MBARI and the U.S. Geological Survey have extended this work into marine settings and offshore renewable energy contexts, and most recently produced FIDO — an affordable, scalable eDNA sampling robot designed to democratize large-scale biodiversity monitoring. Collectively, Sepulveda's research is reshaping how scientists detect invasive species, track biodiversity loss, and manage aquatic resources in an era of accelerating environmental change.