Valentina named a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow!

Scripps Oceanography marine biologist Valentina Di Santo has been named a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, one of the most prestigious recognitions for early-career researchers in the US and internationally. Di Santo was selected among more than 1,000 nominated candidates from 44 institutions across the US and Canada. The Sloan Research Fellowship is widely regarded as a mark of excellence — its alumni include 59 Nobel laureates, 72 recipients of the National Medal of Science, and 17 Fields Medal winners.

Valentina received this award in recognition of her work on how fishes move through complex and changing environments, research that spans biomechanics, physiology, and environmental science to understand how aquatic animals respond to ocean warming, acidification, and habitat transformation. Her program examines the effects of climate change on stability, energy efficiency, and locomotion across species and life stages, and her findings have also offered new insights for the design of bio-inspired robotic systems.