Previously, Anela was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Anela’s research centers on the structure and function of open ocean and deep-sea food webs, uniquely applying a targeted combination of biochemical tracers (stable isotopes, fatty acids, trace metals) alongside in-situ observations and traditional diet methods. Anela received a Ph.D. (2013) and M.S. (2008) in Oceanography from the University of Hawaii, and has recently been recognized for her research and outreach efforts with the 2018 UNESCO-L’Oréal International Rising Talents Award, and the 2016 AAAS-L’Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellowship.