Karen (she/her) is a young female biology student, at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus (UPRM), with a fiery passion for the arts and science. Growing up on the archipelago of Puerto Rico, she fell in love with the ocean from a young age. However, she found her calling for marine sciences in 2023, in a summer internship she participated in at the age of 17. Throughout her internship, she learned about the wonders her country has to offer, but at the same time she realized the struggle when it came to visibility and care for ocean conservation. At UPRM, she began to seek opportunities for conservation efforts and possible community engagement volunteer work. Here her curiosity transformed into a dream, and now at the age of 20, she seeks to make science more accessible to people and help make a new generation of blue citizens (ocean literacy).
Being Puerto Rico an archipelago, with one of the biggest variations of marine biodiversity in the world, she could never understand why marine sciences as a career is not a priority in the work industry. The beauty of each ecosystem Puerto Rico has to offer is acknowledged worldwide, yet when issues like pollution, unsustainable tourism and government neglect happen, people tend to turn a blind eye. However, to Karen it became apparent that if these issues are to be resolved, people need to take initiative.
Since high school, she was known as a very heartfelt leader, aiming to not only grow as a student, but also help others grow. In 2023, at the age of 17, she participated in her first ever summer internship (NASA OCEANOS), based in various locations in Puerto Rico, focused on marine sciences and oceanography technology. During that time, she was recognized by her analytic skills and presented in an interview by the news outlet Noticentro WAPA TV. At the age of 18, she developed her first ever animated documentary film titled “The Faded Colors of the Ocean” which later was presented in the film festival PONTE LOS CORTOS. The project became her pillar for marine science education through the arts, later being granted the “Best Documentary METRO PR” award within the festival. These events lead her to seek out ways to make scientific education more accessible to everyone, following into her now university years.
During her first year of university, she had the opportunity to become a part of the student organization “AmandOcéano RUM”, where she got to explore the many ways students can impact large coastal communities. She began as a volunteer, being part of many professional enrichment workshops, as well as impactful environmental activities (such as beach clean-ups, pollinator garden making, etc). Later she was asked to be a part of this association directive, working hands on with professionals in the field of marine science. As a directive member, she participated in various environmental activism events, advocating for the issues previously mentioned. One of the most notable is the peaceful protest against the multi-billionaire project Esencia, which is a tourist-complex founded by outside investors, set in Boquerón Wildlife Refuge. As of today, Karen is certified as a Scuba Dog Society Environmental Captain; conducts research in the Virus Diversity and Bioinformatics Lab at UPRM; and has a marine science illustration page on Instagram.
As a member of the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council, she wishes to seek out more ways to bring scientific education to those in misrepresented and marginalized communities. By impacting younger audiences, she hopes to develop a new wave of blue citizens able to share knowledge about ocean literacy and start the next generation of marine scientists in Puerto Rico.