thumbnail image

 

Science Communication Expert | Scientist | Public Speaker

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Media Interviews & Features
  • COVID-19 Efforts
  • Science Communication
  • Jueves de Ciencia Boricua
  • Advocacy
  • Contact

    • Español
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Media Interviews & Features
  • COVID-19 Efforts
  • Science Communication
  • Jueves de Ciencia Boricua
  • Advocacy
  • Contact
  • Powered By
    Strikingly
    • COVID-19 Efforts

      Highlights of my recent COVID-19 science communication and advocacy efforts (mostly in Spanish).

      COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION

      Aquí Nos Cuidamos

      Since September 2020, I have directed Aquí Nos Cuidamos, a community-centered project improving the capacity and agency of marginalized and vulnerable communities in Puerto Rico to promote COVID-19 prevention and vaccination and mental health through science engagement and multimedia education. Aquí Nos Cuidamos was named the 2021 Breakthought of the Year in Science Engagement at Falling Walls. Learn more by watching my talk below.

      Aquí Nos Cuidamos, which roughly translates to "we take care of each other" features a multimedia education toolkit consisting of four public service campaigns with images, infographics, videos (in Spanish and sign language), audios, and written materials that present science in accessible and practical ways, contextualized to the Puerto Rican reality and culture, and that anyone, from individuals to government entities, can use to promote COVID prevention and community well-being. Meanwhile, our community engagement program consists of listening sessions, conversations, WhatsApp chats to listen to leaders and representatives of marginalized communities and entities that provide them with services and a Community Ambassadors Program, to train and support 10 Puerto Rican leaders intheir efforts, with funding, communications and graphic design help and mental health workshops. 

      Video from campaign #2: Physical, not social distancing

      Video from campaign #3 "Get vaccinated, for you and for me"

      Video from campaign #4 "Mental health is plenitude"

      Poster from campaign #1 "Have a digital party"

      Image from campaign #4 "Mental health is plenitude"

      Project staff, community ambassadors, and collaborators

      PRESS FOR AQUÍ NOS CUIDAMOS

      Promueven la ciencia en las comunidades (Promoting science in local communities) (January 9, 2022) El Nuevo Día

      Para derrubar os muros da divulgação científica (To break down the walls of scientific dissemination) (December 2021 edition) Ciencia Hoje

      Reconocen a nivel internacional proyecto educativo "Aquí Nos Cuidamos" (Educational project "Aquí Nos Cuidamos" wins international recognition) (November 16, 2021) El Nuevo Día

      • Conoce a CienciaPR: Empoderando las comunidades a través de la educación sobre el covid-19 (Meet CienciaPR: empowering communities through covid-19 education) (September 12, 2021) Noticel
      • Aquí Nos Cuidamos: A COVID-19 toolkit for Puerto Rican communities (May 1, 2021) Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL)
      • Taking Care of Each Other, With Science and Solidarity (April 19, 2021) Simons Foundation

      "Infórmate, protégete, vacúnate", a rumor tracking program

      From March to June 2021, CienciaPR, with Puerto Rico Public Health Trust (PRPHT), Ciencia en Tus Manos (CETM) and Internews, participated of a rumor tracking program called "Infórmate, protégete, vacunate", led by Mercy Corps Puerto Rico. The program monitored social media and worked collaboratively with 14 communities in different parts of Puerto Rico to collect rumors about COVID-19 and vaccines, and create and provide science- and needs-based information in real time to address them. I was CienciaPR's lead for the project. You can see examples of the content below and read more about our approaches and results HERE and HERE.

      Cuídate, Cuídame

      In the fall 2020, the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust (PRPHT), Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR), and the humanitarian organization Mercy Corps Puerto Rico, ran "Cuídate, Cuídame" (Take care of yourself, Take care of me) campaign to encourage young adults between 20-39 years of age (who have consistently had the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Puerto Rico) to adopt healthy behaviors to minimize their risk of infection. The campaign included social media content, public service announcements, and conversations between scientists and influencers. I was CienciaPR's lead for the campaign. You can find all the content HERE. 

      MEDIA & SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

      Connecting scientists with media

      Since early March 2020, I have guided more than 60 members of the CienciaPR network in the publication of more than 90 Spanish-language articles about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. I have also coordinated or facilitated more than 70 Spanish-language radio, TV, podcast, and press interviews with scientists and experts who are members of the CienciaPR network. You can learn more about the story behind some these efforts in this NPR interview. You can read, check out of the articles and many of the interviews HERE (in Spanish).

      TV

      Hay que tomar acciones contundentes (We most take urgent actions) (April 25, 2022) TeleOnce

      Inicia segunda campaña de Ciencia Puerto Rico a favor de la vacunación (Ciencia Puerto Rico launches second campaign to promotion COVID-19 vaccination) (April 26, 2021) Noticias Telemundo

      Organización empodera a comunidades marginadas con campañas educativas durante la pandemia (Organization empowers marginalized communities with educational campaigns during the pandemic) (Feburary 15, 2021) Noticias Telemundo

      • 'Perfect storm of factors' advanced surge of omicron infections in Puerto Rico (December 28, 2021) MSNBC
      • Cinco puntos importantes para frenar contagios de COVID (Five ways to curb COVID infections) (December 20, 2021) Noticentro Edición Estelar WAPA TV
      • "Aquí Nos Cuidamos" al vacunarse contra el COVID-19 ("Aquí Nos Cuidamos" (Here, we take care of each other) by getting vaccinated against COVID-19) (May 7, 2021) Noticentro al Amanecer WAPA TV

      Op-eds & articles

      Op-Ed: How Puerto Ricans fought COVID: Together

      (February 9, 2022) Los Angeles Times

      I reflect on the lessons learned through Aquí Nos Cuidamos, working with community leaders in Puerto Rico and the importance of solidarity and collective care — not individualism & nationalism — to end the pandemic and be prepared for future emergencies.

      • Las mascarillas son libertad y solidaridad (Why I will keep wearing my mask in public) (March 5, 2022) El Nuevo Día
      • COVID-19: La pandemia de todos (COVID-19: Everyone's pandemic) (July 23, 2021) El Nuevo Día
      • Vacunas de COVID-19 pa' los barrios (COVID-19 vaccines for marginalized communities) (December 21, 2020) El Nuevo Día
      • Solidaridad en Acción de Gracias: Cómo evitar el COVID-19 (Thanksgiving solidarity: How to avoid COVID-19 (November 23, 2020) El Nuevo Día
      • The government of Puerto Rico’s main strategies during COVID-19: ineptitude, misinformation and secrecy (April 19, 2020) Latino Rebels
      • Faltan datos y transparencia ante la pandemia de COVID-19 (Data and transparency are lacking in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic) (April 2, 2020) El Nuevo Día

      Quoted/mentioned

      • Salubristas urgen reforzar medidas preventivas ante aumento en casos de COVID-19 (March 24, 2022) El Nuevo Día
      • A la expectativa del anuncio de Pierluisi el lunes sobre flexibilizaciones a medidas por el COVID-19 (Awaiting Pierluisi's Monday announcement on new COVID-19 measures) (March 5, 2022) El Nuevo Día
      • Pareja que se negó a llenar Declaración de Viajero irá a juicio por desafiar orden salubrista (Couple who refused to fill out Travel Declaration Form will go to trial) (January 12, 2022) El Nuevo Día
      • Puerto Rico's COVID-19 positive rate jumps from 2% to over 30% in just two weeks (January 3, 2022) ABC News
      • Esto es lo que debes hacer para reducir el riesgo de contraer COVID-19 en las fiestas navideñas (This is what you should do to reduce your risk of getting COVID-19 during the holidays) (December 19, 2021) El Nuevo Día
      • "Science and solidarity": Why Puerto Rico leads US in Covid vaccinations ("Ciencia y solidaridad": Porque Puerto Rico lidera la vacunación anticovid en EEUU) (November 9, 2021) AFP
      • Destacan logros de la isla ante el virus (Puerto Rico's achievements in the face of the virus highlighted by international media and personalities) (October 28, 2021) El Nuevo Día
      • We are already barreling towards the next pandemic (September 29, 2021) The Atlantic
      • For the most part, Puerto Ricans didn’t politicize the COVID vaccine. Here’s the result. Mayoría de puertorriqueños no politizó la vacunación contra el COVID. Este es el resultado. (September 3, 2021) Miami Herald y El Nuevo Herald
      • These videos could boost COVID vaccination rates (June 22, 2021) Scientific American
      • ¿Con la vacuna contra el covid-19 te inyectan un poco del coronavirus vivo para que desarrolles anticuerpos? (With the covid-19 vaccine, do they inject you with some of the live coronavirus to make you develop antibodies?) (April 26, 2021) Univisión
      • Puerto Rico Just Had Its ‘Worst Moment’ for Covid-19 (Puerto Rico acaba de experimentar su ‘peor momento’ con la COVID-19) (April 23, 2021) The New York Times
      • Rol protagónico de la comunidad científica ante la pandemia del COVID-19 (The leading role of the scientific community in the COVID-19 pandemic) (March 15, 2021) Primera Hora

      Radio & podcast

      La desinformación antivacunas: el nuevo reto de la pandemia (Vaccine misinformation: The new challenge of the pandemic)

      El Hilo Podcast

      (October 15, 2021) I was one of three experts interviewed for this episode focused on vaccine misinformation in Latin America: why it's happening, who is spreading and what we can do about it. In particular, I provided recommendations for what people can do to combat this misinformation and for discussing the subject with our friends and family. An edited version of this episode  was published by Radio Ambulante on December 28, 2021.

      • COVID-19 y la pandemia de desinformación (COVID-19 and the infodemic) (La Ventana

      • Una hora con Edmy (An hour with Edmy) (September 2, 2021) WISA 1390 AM

      • Repaso Noticioso: Puerto Rico Department of Education wants to restart in-person classes in March (February 4, 2021) Repaso Noticioso

      • ¿Qué es la que hay? con Luis Herrero (October 28, 2020) Radio Isla 1320AM

      • Ahora con Damaris Suárez (Now with Damaris Suárez) (September 23, 2020) Radio Isla 1320AM

      • Recomendaciones para la próxima orden ejecutiva (Recommendations for the next Executive Order) (September 8, 2020) Sin Tapujos, WIAC 740AM Radio

      • Repunte de casos de COVID-19 en Puerto Rico (Spike of COVID-19 cases in Puerto Rico) (July 13, 2020) Sin Tapujos, WIAC 740AM Radio

      • Center for Investigative Journalism's Agenda Propia (May 25, 2020) Radio Isla

      • Of earthquakes and pandemics (May 4, 2020) Latino Rebels Radio

      • Puerto Ricans are at risk from the coronavirus and a lack of information (April 7, 2020) NPR's Short Wave

      YouTube & other digital platforms

      Los virus, las vacunas y COVID-19 (Viruses, vaccines and COVID-19) (voice over) (2022) American Museum of Natural History

      • Ómicron ¿cuánto preocupa la nueva variante y cómo me protejo? (Omicron: How concerning is this new variant and how do I protect myself?) (November 30, 2021) El Nuevo Día

      • Temporada de Huracanes 2021 y la vacunación para COVID-19 (2021 hurricane season and COVID-19 vaccination) (August 3, 2021) Ada Monzón

      • ¿Causalidad o coincidencia? Cómo comunicar la ciencia detrás detrás de los efectos secundarios de las vacunas de COVID-19 (Causality or coincidence? How to communicate about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines) (March 2, 2021) Association of Journalists of Puerto Rico

    © 2021

    Create a site with
    This website is built with Strikingly.
    Create yours today!

    This website is built with Strikingly.

    Create your FREE website today!

      Home
      Contact
    Cookie Use
    We use cookies to ensure a smooth browsing experience. By continuing we assume you accept the use of cookies.
    Learn More