Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead My experiences in the past four years have redefined who I am. I came to the U.S with the dream of becoming a scientist and in the path to becoming one I have grown passionate about global cultures, communication, policy, leadership and service. Most importantly I have learned that creating a bridge between social issues, the arts, and environmental sciences is both difficult and necessary. If there is anything my experiences so far have taught me is how essential it is to understand how others view the world. Only then it is possible to propose intelligent solutions to the many issues our world faces today, especially environmental ones. The coursework at Florida International University (FIU) really challenged me to think critically and use my knowledge to create change. Global learning courses in Earth and Environment taught me how environmental knowledge is relevant for different cultures and how environmental stresses often lead to social unrest and humanitarian crises. Understanding my discipline from a global perspective gives me the ability to identify interconnectedness between issues and to analyze these connections to propose creative solutions. An example of how I applied this knowledge about global interconnectedness is the essay displayed in the "Environmental Policy, Research and Conservation" page in this site, which showcases some of my research about colonial impacts to Indian religions and their effects on society's view of their natural resources. In addition, community service and leadership opportunities played a key role in shaping my life goals and understanding of the social and natural sciences. Although I had an interest in service before starting my university career , I didn't really understand how service could have an impact in scientific and policy contexts. My work with Wine to Water and service projects in the Dominican Republic and in Miami are some of the most life-changing opportunities that I have had. They allowed me to work in an environment where science was of most importance when targeted to creating tangible solutions and helping communities in need. A line of work that I have explored even further while coordinating science communications and public outreach projects at the FIU NSF CREST Center for Aquatic Chemistry and Environment and the Institute of Water and Environment. The past few years have been a journey of self-exploration and re-evaluation of what it means to be a scientist. Today, not only do I want to be an environmental scientist, but I want to be one that is able to build bridges between the arts, social sciences and natural sciences and works with multidisciplinary and diverse groups of people to create solutions. I aspire to work in global and socially diverse contexts - creating research-based solutions and sharing them with with those who may not have access to it but need it most.
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