Postdoctoral Research Scholar
San Diego State University Research Foundation
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Science Communication
Ecology is a fascinating field, but sometimes, the technical terms and complexity of concepts used in research can make it a bit hard for us to wrap our heads around, and connect to the content. I have been trying different approaches to make the content within Ecology more relatable & exciting for all.
Watch the CAS NightSchool talk where I talk about invasive species & their impacts
Ecology concepts through analogies, metaphors
& similes
I have been advocating to explain terminology and concepts within Ecology in a more relatable & exciting way for a broader general audience to connect to, through the use of relatable examples & common language.
I led a workshop where the Larios lab came up with great ways to explain common Ecology terminology in a fun and clear way. Here are some of the products of that workshop, enjoy.
Dr. Loralee Larios compared regional species pools to a piñata at a party influencing the # & type of candy you get
I created this example of how invasive species can benefit from arriving first into a community (PRIORITY EFFECTS), influencing those who arrive later in the growing season, similar to a first come, first serve scenario
Noah Teller, PhD candidate, compared California native vegetation to stacked piles of wood, and invasive annual grasses as newspaper connecting these stacks of wood, providing opportunity for fire to spread
Stuart Schwab, PhD candidate, compared LEGACY EFFECTS to breaking a bone, and ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION to surgery.
Michel Au, lab assistant, compared SPECIES RANGE SHIFTS caused by CLIMATE CHANGE to how millennials are forced to move to more affordable neighborhoods due to landlords buying up the housing market & making prices skyrocket
Meg Kargul, PhD candidate, compared HABITAT FRAGMENTATION to the functionality of a plate shattering