educator

I have greatly benefited from the many educational experiences offered to me. I use these experiences, and the passion and support given to me by my own educators, to teach those in my community, and the students before me. Furthermore,  I use the example set forth by my parents, who were both very influential educators at home and professionally. As an aspiring professor, I hope to inspire the next generation of students to pursue a career in the geosciences, and create meaningful change in our community.
​

As an educator I have focused on the following three aspects:

Teaching

As an aspiring professor, I aim to inspire the next generation to pursue environmental sciences through education

​

​These activities are tagged with:

mentoring

Counseling, Career Preparation, Research  & Education
Working with students ranging from primary to graduate school

​
These activities are tagged with:

Diversity & Inclusion

Increasing the access and exposure of under-served communities to academia. Striving for better representation in the Geosciences

These activities are tagged with: 

See Below for a list of Educational involvements:

Stanford Diversity and Inclusion in the Geosciences (DIG; EARTH 203)
Course and Community created by Stanford Earth Graduate Students aimed at:
  • Educating geoscientists on JDEI topics and fostering conversations
  • supporting actions advancing JDEI at Stanford EARTH
  • Creating a broader community of geoscientists                                       (via Twitter @Stanford DIG)​


Co-Taught Stanford DIG During Winter 2020 and manage online presence
Back to top ↑

Pertenecer/YouBelong @Stanford Earth
Program created by myself in collaboration with community partners in the Bay Area to:
  • Introduce careers in earth sciences and academia to k-12 students
  • Expose students to college, therefore increasing their comfort level, and confidence
  • Demonstrate to broad groups what it means to be an earth scientist
  • Show students that they belong at places like Stanford and Stanford Earth
Poster presented in Spring 2019 on YBEEPS. Click on the link below to view:
Back to top ↑

STANFORD'S SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN GEOSCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRAM​ (SURGE)
A summer research program  by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, bringing students from under-represented communities to Stanford. I have been involved continuously since the summer of 2014 were I was a student-scholar. Now I have served as a Volunteer, Panelist, Mentor,  Program Assistant.




​Held the Program Assistant role in 2018

Closely managed and mentored a small cohort of scholars. Developed weekly seminars on graduate school preparedness and scientific presentations. Facilitated program-wide events.





Mentored SURGE Scholar Alexis Wilson (Cornell 19') in 2017

On a project we developed on mapping the coarse root biomass of trees in the southern Sierra Nevadas. The project focused on the biomass differences between trees which either survived or died due to drought conditions. 

 Course description:

"SURGE provides undergraduates from a U.S. institution the opportunity to gain mentored research experience at Stanford University in the geosciences and engineering. The underlying philosophy of SURGE is to train students by creating a supportive and rigorous work environment. We set high expectations for our scholars: to prepare them for a potential career in the field of geoscience and engineering, and to ensure that they get the most from their stay at Stanford. Each SURGE scholar is matched with a faculty member from the School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences and has the opportunity to work in a research group or laboratory.  SURGE also includes workshops on preparing for the GRE, applying to graduate school, and understanding geoscience and engineering careers. The program culminates with a research symposium at Stanford, where scholars present results from their summer projects to faculty, mentors, and colleagues."
Back to top ↑

Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE)
A program by the Stanford Vice Provost for Graduate Education aimed at helping students from diverse backgrounds exceed in graduate school. I have served as  a peer-mentor and panelist. 


​

EDGE-STEM Graduate Mentor


​Serve as a mentor for two EDGE-STEM scholars in the Earth System Science department. Meet regularly to discuss research, personal life, and any problems that the scholars may have. I have also served on panels for EDGE Fellows university-wide
Image with my personal EDGE mentor (Dan Ibarra), and co-mentee (Kat Gonzalez), at the AGU Fall Meeting in New Orleans, LA (2017)
Check out this video on advice for challenges encountered during research (first 47 seconds)
Back to top ↑

Canopy
Canopy is an organization focused on increasing environmental education and urban forestry, balancing the discrepancies between Palo Alto and the under-served community of East Palo Alto.

member of the INAUGURAL education committee

Committee created to oversee and steer the direction of Canopy's  education programs. 

Teen urban forester workshops

Lead frequent workshops for high school students of East Palo Alto, aimed at teaching plant sciences and tree care. 
Back to top ↑

 Vice provost for teaching and learning (VPTL)
Teaching Liaison and Mentor in Teaching for the Department of Earth System Science and the School of EARTH

 VPTL Liaison:

"foster two-way communication between VPTL and their home departments by promoting VPTL programs and resources, working with VPTL to customize teaching services, and supporting an energetic exchange of ideas."

Mentor in teaching (MINT):

"trains experienced TAs to become department-based Teaching Mentors. After training, they support their departments’ TAs in specific courses, implement activities for the TAs to improve their teaching skills, provide feedback to departments about what TAs need to be effective in their duties, and act as a resource on teaching in general." 
Back to top ↑

Earth system science peer mentor
Annually serve as a peer-mentor for incoming students in the Earth System Science department to help with their transition to graduate school throughout their first two years. Also serve on panels giving advice to incoming students, and regularly answer questions they may have through our community chat network.
Image of current mentee (Emily Lacroix), teaching high school students about soil science during a co-hosted event.
Back to top ↑

Control of nature (ESS/EARTHSYS 107)
Teaching Assistant for Dr. Rob Jackson in 2016 & 2019. Developed weekly lectures based on current scientific and ethical dilemmas.

 Course description:

"Think controlling the earth's climate is science fiction? It is when you watch Snowpiercer or Dune, but scientists are already devising geoengineering schemes to slow climate change. Will we ever resurrect the woolly mammoth or even a T. Rex (think Jurassic Park)? Based on current research, that day will come in your lifetime. Who gets to decide what species to save? And more generally, what scientific and ethical principles should guide our decisions to control nature? In this course, we will examine the science behind ways that people alter and engineer the earth, critically examining the positive and negative consequences. We'll explore these issues first through popular movies and books and then, more substantively, in scientific research."
Back to top ↑

Colegio San benito Emergency relief fund 
Together with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chapter at Stanford University, I supported my former school in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria by sending the necessary generators and resources to power their offices and cafeterias, allowing for school to start before the return of electricity.
Back to top ↑

Ernest Houston johnson scholars (EJHS)
Program sponsored by the Black Community Services Center, providing networking and professional opportunities to Stanford undergraduates. I mentored four scholars throughout the two iterations of this program.
Photo of the 1891 Stanford football team featuring Ernest Houston Johnson (bottom left) the first African-American student to attend Stanford University (Courtesy Stanford Archive). His legacy serves as the namesake and inspiration for this program.
Back to top ↑

Stanford earth young investigators (SEYI)
As the Teaching Assistant for SEYI in 2016, I managed a cohort of over 30 high school students from the bay area representing diverse backgrounds aimed at introducing research and earth sciences at an early age. Furthermore, I taught college preparedness seminars, and gave 1 on 1 guidance.

 Course description:

"At the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, high school students spend the summer working in research laboratories. The students become involved in existing research projects and are supervised directly by graduate students, post docs and lab managers. This program enables graduate students to serve as supervisors, prepares high schools students for college and helps strengthen the connections between Stanford and local high schools. Since 2004, over 250 high school students have worked in research labs in the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences and learned about the process of science first hand. We offer several different options, with different areas of focus and time commitments. Applicants can apply to more than one option and must indicate what they want to be considered for."
Back to top ↑

early education outreach
I have worked with Rocketship Public Schools in under-served neighborhoods of the South Bay. Events have included college visits, creating in-class visits by Stanford scientists, and volunteering in community events.
Back to top ↑

hosting college vists
Through multiple bay area organizations, I have hosted college visit days to Stanford University for high school students from under-served communities, and summer school attendees. This program provides an experience to students who may have never stepped foot on a college campus.
Back to top ↑

Highlighted Professional Development and presentations

  • Invited Talk,  Tree Related Academic and Career Pathways for the Teen Urban Foresters Program                                    Canopy, Palo Alto, CA, Aug. 2020
  • Invited Talk, Opportunities for Outreach and How to build an Anti-racist Lab                                                                         Wong-Parodi Lab, Stanford, CA, Jul 2020
  • Invited Talk,  Opportunities for Outreach and How to build an Anti-racist Lab                                                                        Wong-Parodi Lab, Stanford, CA, Jul 2020
  • Invited Talk, Stanford Earth Young Investigators Scientist Introduction                                                                                     School of Earth, Stanford, CA, Jul 2020
  • Seminar Talk,  Overview of "10 Simple Rules for Building an Anti-Racist Lab"                                                                        Department of Earth System Science, Stanford, CA, Jul 2020
  • Panelist,  Graduate Student Panel for undergraduate researchers                                                                                             School of Earth, Stanford, CA, Jul 2020
  • Presenter and Organizer, JDEI Coffee Chats                                                                                                                                   Jackson Lab, Stanford, CA, Summer 2020-Spring 2021 (semi-weekly)
  • Rising Environmental Leader, Virtual Rising Environmental Leaders Program Bootcamp                                                      Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford, CA, Spring 2020
  • Oral Presentation, You Belong: Empowerment, Education, & Environment Program at Stanford Earth                               AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 2019
  • Oral Presentation, Grand Challenges: LatinX Representation in the Geosciences                                                           AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 2019
  • Poster Presentation, You Belong: Empowerment, Education, & Environment Program                                                        Woods Young Environmental Scholars Conference,  Stanford, CA, Nov 2019
  • Panelist, NSF-Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate  (AGEP) Research Exchange Retreat,   Stanford, CA, Oct 2019
  • Stanford Representative, NASEM-AAHHE Meeting: "Integrating Equity and Intentional Culture in STEMM Education",   San Marcos, TX Sep 2019
  • Skill share seminar Speaker, "Professional Website Building - How did you do it?"                                                        Stanford, CA, May 2019
  • Panelist, ESS 307 Career Panel: "Preparing for your qualifying exam"                                                                              Stanford, CA, May 2019 
  • Panelist, Undergraduate Advising & Research Panel: "Demystifying Graduate School"                                                  Stanford, CA, Apr 2019
  • Skill share seminar Speaker, "Making Canvas work for you: tips and tricks to assist TAs"                                              Stanford, CA, Feb 2019
  • Fellow, Conference of Ford Fellows Annual Meeting                                                                                                        NASEM Headquarters, Washington, DC, Apr 2018
  •  Hackathon Trainee, ISCN Data Hackathon/All-Hands Meeting                                                                                         New Orleans, LA, Dec 2017
  •  Presenter, Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory Annual Meeting                                                                        Shaver Lake, CA, Aug 2017
  • Participant, AGU-SEG Hydrogeophysics Workshop                                                                                                     Stanford, CA, Jul 2017
  •  Fellow, Udall Conference                                                                                                                                                     Tucson, AR, Aug 2014
  •  Oral & Poster Presentation, Stanford Summer Research Conference                                                                       Stanford, CA, Aug 2014
  •  Presenter, McNair Research Symposium                                                                                                                          University of Washington, Seattle, WA, May 2014
  •  Presenter, Ivy Plus Symposium                                                                                                                                    Cambridge, MA, Mar 2014
  • Workshop Attendee, Compact for Faculty Diversity                                                                                                    Arlington, VA, Nov 2013 
  • Keynote Speaker, Benjamin Thompson Society Banquet                                                                                           University of New Hampshire, Sep 2013
  • Sponsored Representative, John O. Moseley Leadership School                                                                                     Miami, FL, Aug 2013
  • Poster Presentation, Undergraduate Research Conference                                                                                       University of New Hampshire, 2011-2013
  • Sponsored Representative, FuturesQuest leadership program                                                                             Indianapolis, IN, Dec 2012
​



​
Back to top ↑