Scientists are members of our local communities as well as our scientific ones! In that spirit, I try to bring my knowledge and skills to the Santa Cruz area, as well as to geology and paleontology professional societies.
In the local community, I volunteer with Skype a Scientist and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.
In the University and Professional Community, I am a leader in GEODES, in the high school Science Internship Program, and an organizer for the Astrobiology Reading Group, Paleoclimate Reading Group, EPS department weekly seminar, and PaleoPERCs online seminar series. I am a member of the International Society of Nonbinary Scientists, and the Trans Fieldwork Alliance. I am a co-author in the Queer and Trans Inclusive Fieldwork Study group at UCSC.
I am a leader of GEODES, a graduate-led geology outreach group. GEODES hosts 8-12 events per year that focus on 1) improving undergrad and grad belonging in the department 2) materially help undergraduate students with research opportunities and funding, and 3) educate members of the Earth Sciences Community on campus about best practices.
Transgender/Queer Activism
As a transgender scientist, and particularly with my training as an evolutionary biologist, I am passionate about education and outreach to increase trans wellbeing trans joy in my communities. I write on biology through a transgender lens to debunk the transphobic arguments that we are “unnatural” or “ignore biology”. I volunteer with the Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County. I am also a member of the International Society of Nonbinary Scientists, the Trans Fieldwork Alliance, and the Queer and Trans Inclusive Fieldwork Study group at UCSC.