Science communication plays a crucial role in environmental science as it helps bridge the gap between scientists and the general public. It allows scientists to share their research findings, discoveries, and concerns with the wider community in a clear and accessible manner. Effective science communication promotes informed decision-making, encourages public engagement, and raises awareness about environmental issues, ultimately fostering a collective effort towards sustainable solutions and the protection of our planet.

#FieldworkFriday

During my first season of fieldwork collecting data for my graduate research, I wanted to share my experiences with my friends and family back home (most of whom had little to no knowledge of what wildlife biology fieldwork looks like). I believe that this lack of exposure to the conservation field greatly contributes to the lack of diverse representation in conservation practitioners, so I created weekly social media content to educate my community about piping plover ecology and coastal fieldwork experiences!

NOTE: Link directs you to my Instagram Story, and is only accessible if you have an Instagram account.

Black In Marine Science

Similar to Black in Environment, Black in Marine Science (BIMS) is a nonprofit organization that showcasing Black marine scientists -- particularly during #BlackInMarineScienceWeek every November since 2020. Part of this organization's year-round programming is to release weekly "BIMS Bites" educational videos to teach viewers about a wide-range of marine science topics. I produced and submitted a video about coastal geomorphology, which can be viewed below.

You can read more about this organization here.

Virginia Tech Center for Communicating Science Nutshell Games

In this annual showcase of graduate student research, participants much describe their research to an audience in a creative and interesting way - but within 90 seconds! I was fortunate to be selected to compete in this event in 2023 and describe how shorebird nest site selection can be quite similar to searching for that 'just right' property that checks off all the must-haves on your list. The full video of this presentation can be viewed below.

You can read more about this event here.