One of our greatest challenges and responsibilities as scientists is sharing our research with the general public.
I believe it is our duty to actively seek ways to combine research, education, and advocacy.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT & CITIZEN SCIENCE IN SOUTH FLORIDA
For six years, I served as the Outreach Coordinator for the Coral Reef Futures Lab, the X-REEFS Project, and the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Restoration Hub. In this role, I shares our coral research with local schools, organizations, and members of the public. I led interactive activities at public events, gave community presentation, and guided visits to our lab facilities to convey how coral reefs contribute to healthy coastlines and communities in Florida. Since over 60% of Miami-Dade county residents speak Spanish at home, I conducted these activities in both English and Spanish to make the content accessible to all.
I have also been member of the Rescue a Reef Program team, which works to “support coral reef research and restoration through outreach, education, and citizen science.” We use coral gardening techniques to sustainably propagate a variety of Caribbean corals (including several threatened species) in nurseries off the coast of Miami-Dade county. We then teach members of the greater Miami community - who we consider to be “citizen scientists” - to transplant these corals to local reefs. These efforts not only help to rebuild vital habitat, but also serve to educate non-scientists about the importance of reef ecosystems. Ultimately, we hope to inspire our citizen scientists to take action in their own lives on behalf of the ocean.
Teaching & mentoring
At the University of Miami, I assistant-taught undergraduate- and graduate-level courses including Invertebrate Zoology (MSC 323) and Biology, Ecology, and Conservation of Coral Reefs (MBE 618), giving lectures and guiding hands-on laboratory activities. As an undergraduate teaching assistant at Barnard College, I worked with instructors to lead weekly experiments and dissections for laboratory courses in both evolutionary and molecular biology. I have also given numerous guest lectures to students of all ages in-person and online.
I also mentored undergraduate and graduate students in the Coral Reef Futures Lab, teaching techniques for coral husbandry, larval rearing, experimental design, field research, molecular biology, and data analysis.
empowering women in science
I am a strong believer in empowering girls and young women to participate in environmental science and stewardship. For many years, I led educational coral science activities for girls in the Miami area during the annual Rosenstiel School Women in Science Day. In addition, I delivered frequent presentations to schools, organizations and initiatives dedicated to involving girls and women in STEM, and I regularly advise female students in high school and college on how to pursue careers in science. I aimed to set an example for others, inspiring them to believe in themselves as future scientific leaders and agents of change.
public engagement abroad
In 2021 I was selected to participate in the Student Workshop on International Coastal and Marine Management (SWIMM), a community of early-career scientists from the United States, Mexico, and Cuba that collaborate to tackle marine conservation issues in Gulf of Mexico. In 2022, the workshop culminated in Mérida, Mexico with a week of presentations and discussions with stakeholders from around the Caribbean about coral reef restoration efforts, and the production of a Reef Report Card for Alacranes Reef.
During my semester in Bocas del Toro, Panamá as an undergraduate, I took every opportunity to engage with community members and practice my science communication skills in Spanish. I helped lead an environmental-themed field day, teaching local children about biodiversity conservation and waste management through games and activities. At the end of the semester, I presented on behalf of our marine ecology research group in both English and Spanish to an audience of marine park rangers, local government officials and high school teachers. Through these interactions, I learned that involving non-scientists in discussions of local conservation efforts enables them to help improve the health and sustainability of their community.