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Me, post-PhD defense!
Scientific careers were rarely visible in my community. I am the first in my sitio (village) to earn a doctorate. Only 0.02% of Filipinos hold doctoral degrees. Despite being one of the largest minority populations in Hawaiʻi and California, Filipinos and many other marginalized communities remain underrepresented in higher education and STEM. Without the mentorship of all those who inspired and encouraged my sense of belonging in science, I might never have imagined a future in this field. Their guidance helped me take root, and it fuels my work opening doors so others can envision themselves in science. I center equity in both my research and my relationships with students. I am committed to expanding representation in STEM and building classrooms and research environments where students are seen, challenged, supported, and prepared to lead.
Outreach and Service: Sharing many ways of seeing through storytelling, and community learning.
My fascination with the ocean is inseparable from my love of storytelling and art. I combine science and creativity to bring the marine world, and its myriad of delightful forms to everyone!
Bishop Museum is the State of Hawaiʻi Museum of Natural and Cultural History. My research is part of a public exhibit and permanent installation at the Bishop Museum's Science Adventure Center, which I had the opportunity to co-produce. During my PhD, I led our lab's yearly outreach efforts at the museum, developing hands-on activities, including touch tanks and coloring pages and creating educational materials like posters and stickers to share the wonders of marine life with kids and families.
I have served as a scientific creative consultant, storyboarding biocultural and scientific narratives for Sugilanon, a six-episode series broadcast on local television in 2022 through ʻŌlelo Community Media in collaboration with Chaminade University of Honolulu. I have also organized science-art events for World Ocean Day with Hawaiʻi Sea Grant . For me, the charms of discovery is not just about understanding the ocean, it’s about opening doors for others to explore it, too.
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SUGILANON: a Stories from Different Places. Storytellers and production staff.
As a member of the UCSC EEB IDEA Committee, I've organized a crafting circle and crochet club that is bringing the department together to create an ocean-themed marine display for World Ocean Day. Here, I aim to cultivate a more connected and inclusive departmental community.
At the heart of my work is a commitment to nourishing collective action toward deeper responsibilities with our oceans and with each other— ecologies of thought rooted in sustainability, care, and flourishing futures.