Outreach & Volunteer Experience

Since October 2024, I have volunteered as a Docent at Dos Rios State Park, California's largest floodplain restoration site. I lead public nature walks on riparian ecology and native species, assist in restoration planting, and support large-scale events.

Highlights

• Guided walks for diverse audiences, emphasizing riparian ecology and habitat restoration.

• Supported events like the New Years Day Hike (200+ visitors) and Kayaking at Sunset.

• Helped plant native vegetation in public-use and restoration areas.

I collaborate with the Forbes Lab's research on gall wasps (Cynipidae) and parasitoid communities by contributing field data and ensuring proper specimen handling. My role connects citizen science observations with formal ecological research through both fieldwork and data quality contributions.

Highlights

• Collected and reared insect specimens as part of ongoing ecology studies.

• Oversaw shipping and documentation protocols to ensure specimens were transferred securely from California to the lab.

• Provided identifications and quality assurance through the iNaturalist platform.

As Student Representative, I have helped shape the 2025 CGS Annual Conference through outreach, field trip leadership, and digital tools. This role highlights my commitment to academic comunnity building and environmental education.

Highlights

• Led the Dos Rios section of the San Joaquin Valley Wildlands field trips.

• Built and launched the 2025 CGS conference website.

• Designed a prototype digital gallery for conference maps/presentations.

Through iNaturalist, I contribute species observations and identifications to support biodiversity monitoring. My contributions specialize in arthropod biodiversity in California's Northern San Joaquin Valley, with records that support ecological research and DNA sequencing.

Highlights

• Documented and identified regional biodiversity for monitoring.

• Collected and shipped specimens for DNA sequencing.

• Engaged with the iNaturalist community to support ecological knowledge-sharing.