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Science Communication Expert | Scientist | Public Speaker
About Me
Full bio and a (very) short version of my CV
I grew up in rural Puerto Rico, surrounded by nature, catching lizards and with a cow in my backyard, which sparked my interest in all things biology. I am a bilingual (Spanish and English) scientist-turned-communicator and tap into my training (a PhD in neurobiology), personal background, and culture (a woman from a working class community in Puerto Rico) to engage historically underserved and overlooked audiences, especially Puerto Ricans and other Spanish-speakers, with science.
I apply a cultural lens to science communication and storytelling to make science more equitable and inclusive. Through filmmaking, the writing of articles, and media engagement, I seek to change stereotypes about scientists of color. I partner with leaders from marginalized communities to increase their capacity to use science to address their needs and priorities. Through science communication trainings and mentoring, I help minoritized scientists step into the power of their identities and stories and support their career development. Through advocacy, I promote science and science-based decision-making in Puerto Rico.
I serve as Director of Communications and Science Outreach for Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR), a non-profit and global community of more than 17,000 scientists, students, educators, and allies creating social impact in Puerto Rico. There, I lead communications' strategy and several communications and public engagement efforts including Aquí Nos Cuidamos, an award-winning project focused on promoting COVID-19 prevention and mental health in Puerto Rico through community engagement and multimedia education. I produce and co-host the only AM radio science segment in Puerto Rico, called Jueves de Ciencia Boricua (Puerto Rican Science Thursdays).
I also serve as Director of Inclusive Science Communication and Engagement for Science Communication Lab (SCL), a non-profit organization dedicated to using multimedia storytelling to engage the public, including educational and scientific communities, in the journey and wonder of science. I am a producer for Wonder Collaborative, the filmmaking arm of SCL, where I was the lead producer of “Background to Breakthrough”, a collection of short films challenging deficit narratives about scientists of color and from marginalized backgrounds. I was co-executive producer for the Future of Science Film Fellowship, a program for emerging filmmakers to develop new documentaries about equity and inclusion in science.
My work has been featured in Telemundo, El Nuevo Día, Latino USA, Scientific American, and Google Arts & Culture, among many others.
During the pandemic, I have been very active in science communication, public engagement and advocacy efforts, mainly in my role with CienciaPR. The majority of these efforts are in Spanish and include serving as editor-in-chief for an op-ed and popular science articles campaign, connecting Puerto Rican scientists with national and international media outlets, doing TV, radio, podcast and media interviews, creating resources for journalists, writing op-eds, and leading Aquí Nos Cuidamos, among others.
I am a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine's Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication, which brings together the diverse disciplines of science communication research and practice to more effectively engage all communities with science in ways that are equitable, evidence-based, and inclusive. I am a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). I am an Emerson Collective Fellow and a 2023-2024 Delegate of the U.S.-Japan Leadership Program.
I completed my undergraduate degree in human biology at the University of Puerto Rico in Bayamón and my doctorate in neurobiology at Harvard University.
(Very) Short CV
Education
- Ph.D. in Neurobiology, Harvard University (2013)
- B.S. in Human Biology, University of Puerto Rico in Bayamón (2004)
Work
- Director of Public Engagement with Science, Ciencia Puerto Rico (2023–present; Director of Communications & Science Outreach, 2015–2023, as an employee; Vice-Director and News Editor-in-Chief, 2006–2014, as a volunteer)
- Director of Inclusive Science Communication & Engagement, Science Communication Lab (formerly iBiology; 2021–present; 2020–2021, Director of Diversity & Communication Training; 2018–2020, Associate Director of Diversity & Communication Training; 2015–2018 Community Engagement & Outreach Manager)
- Producer, Wonder Collaborative (2019–present)
- Director of Outreach & Training, Yale Ciencia Academy (2015–present)
Selected Honors & Awards
- Delegate U.S.-Japan Leadership Program (2023-2024)
- Valor del Año, Ciencia y Comunicaciones, Vega Alta Carnival (2023)
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2022)
- Winner and Breakthrough of the Year in Science Engagement, Falling Walls (with Aquí Nos Cuidamos; 2021)
- Emerson Collective Fellow (2020)
- Frank Karel Scholar (2020)
- 100 inspiring Hispanic/Latinx scientists in America (2020)
- REALITY Adelante (2019)
- SACNAS-HHMI Advanced Leadership Institute (2017)
- University of Pennsylvania Global Social Impact House Fellow (2017)
- INSIGHT into Diversity Inspiring Women in STEM Award (2016)
- Aspen Ideas Festival Fellow (2016)
- SACNAS Linton-Poodry Summer Leadership Institute (2015)
- Paul Shin Memorial Award, Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) (2013)
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2010–2013)
Service & Volunteering
- Standing Committeee on Advancing Science Communication (2022) Member
- Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication (2021) Juror
- Inclusive science communication in theory and practice: Special issue, Frontiers in Communication (2019 – 2020) Topic Editor
- Genetics Society of America, Public Communication & Engagement committee (2018) Member
- CAISE Research & Practice Task Force (2018 – 2020) Member
- #InclusiveSciComm Planning Committee (2018 – 2020) Member
- Support Systems for Scientists' Communication & Engagement Workshops (2017 – 2019) Participant
- Historias de #CienciaBoricua (2017) Co-organizer and Speaker
- Voices, Scientific American Blogs Network (2014) Founding Member
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