Scripps Student Spotlight: Justin Funa

Justin Funa is a student in the Master of Advanced Studies program in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (MAS MBC) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Born and raised in Mindanao, Philippines, Funa spent a few years studying information technology at Ateneo de Davao University before moving to the United States where he then joined the U.S. Air Force. He earned his associate’s degree in human resource management from the Community College of the Air Force and simultaneously completed classes at the University of Phoenix to earn his bachelor’s degree in information technology with advanced cybersecurity. At Scripps, Funa is mapping the distribution of endangered sharks, skates and rays in the Pacific Ocean, primarily in the Philippines, to help advise conservation efforts.

explorations now (en): Why did you choose to attend Scripps?

Justin Funa (JF): My career went in a very different direction than the field that I earned the undergraduate degree in. I grew up in the Philippine islands dreaming of spending days at sea fishing. I always knew I wanted to be near and around the ocean one day, and there’s not a better place to learn about the ocean, marine conservation and science than at Scripps. 
 

en: What are you researching at Scripps?

JF: I am currently mapping the distribution of endangered sharks, skates and rays in the Pacific, mainly in the Philippines. I am interested in creating a map that would help advise conservation organizations in their efforts to protect these species from bycatch, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and other potential harmful impacts. With the help of the Scripps Machine Listening Lab and its acoustic data, I am also mapping human infrastructure’s impact on marine mammals, specifically focusing on the effects of oil rigs and shipping lanes on Rice’s whales in the Gulf of Mexico. For my capstone project, I’ve been working closely with Rory Driskell at NOAA and Scripps scientists Vanessa ZoBell and Kaitlin Frasier.
 

en: How did you become interested in science and your field of study?

JF: I spent 10 years in the U.S. Air Force as a special mission flight attendant instructor for the vice president. A prerequisite to this position included attending survival school, which involved reading maps. Although that training was not easy or fun, I enjoyed the cartography aspect of it. When the opportunity arose in the MAS MBC program to map sharks, whales and other species to advise conservation efforts, I was very excited to hop on the opportunity to blend my strengths and interests. 
 

en: What’s life like as a Scripps student? Describe a typical day.

JF: I typically start my day surfing or going for a nice workout, immediately followed by a couple cups of coffee (essential) before getting ready for class. I typically read the required reading prior to classes. I’ll take my motorcycle out to Scripps or upper campus for classes and/or lab. I try to surf once more during sunset depending on classes and level of exhaustion, but that would be the ideal end of the day.
 

en: What’s the most exciting thing about your work (in the field or in the lab)?

JF: The most exciting thing about my work is learning how to use Geographic Information System (GIS) and R, a programming language used for statistical computing, data visualization, and graphics! I get to see where sharks and whales spend their time and learn about laws and regulations that help protect and conserve them. But I think personally, I’m most excited to talk to people in the field who are collecting the data that informs the science, that in turn, will hopefully inform policymakers to make appropriate decisions. 
 

en: Are there any role models or mentors who have helped you along the way?

JF: There are too many to name to be honest. There’s a lot of people who helped me get to where I am and encouraged me to follow my gut and passion. On top of the people mentioned above, Scripps MAS MBC program director Samantha Murray, J.D.; mentors from my previous career in the Air Force, including Seth Ehlrich, Garrett Riley, LaKeith Manson, David Landrum and Kristy Hill; and so many more. 
 

en: What are some of the challenges you face as a student?

JF: Balancing the amount of school work and a quality of life outside of school is a challenge. Being in a one-year program, the accelerated aspect of needing to learn everything from scratch to fully forming a capstone within a year's time is quite a task, especially for someone who has been out of academia for a good amount of time. Also financially, being a student generally means you don’t have a full time job, which is hard especially being in San Diego, which is one of the most beautiful but expensive places anywhere. 
 

en: What are your plans post-Scripps?

JF: The dream would be a world where I can use GIS mapping to communicate to policymakers the importance of species distribution. Also, I would love to continue educating myself in laws and policies regarding marine conservation and hopefully find a job that would allow me to use the education I receive from Scripps to help protect species. 
 

You can find Funa on Instagram @justinfuna.