Jasmin John, Scientist at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
January – March, 2018
Jasmin John, a climate scientist at the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, is a true trailblazer with the honor of serving as Ocean Discovery’s first Scientist-in-Residence. Jasmin worked closely with Ocean Discovery staff to design a new field trip experience for 6th grade classes in partnership with Dr. Andreas Andersson at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Jasmin designed a field trip lesson in which students visit various locations throughout San Diego’s Mission Bay to sample temperature, salinity, and pH. The students’ measurements will become a new database tracking changes in ocean conditions over time. Jasmin’s personal journey and her courage in the face of challenges resonated in all the students she interacted with during her stay.
Catalina Martinez, Office of Exploration and Research
January – March, 2019
Catalina Martinez, Equity Advisor, was the first scientist to complete a residency after the opening of the Living Lab in October 2018. Catalina worked on a project to better understand the barriers to access to resources and opportunities for young people from underserved communities such as City Heights. She helped pilot new programming based around her area of expertise, deep-sea exploration; facilitated a listening session with our partner teachers to understand barriers they face in the classroom to accessing educational resources; and collected information from high school, college, and early-career students about barriers they encountered. Catalina’s commitment to being a champion for our students and our programs will leave a lasting legacy.
Dr. S. James “Jim” Gates Jr., Brown University
July 2019 and December 2019
Dr. Jim, as our students fondly referred to him, was a two-time Scientist-in-Residence, staying for a week in July and returning for 1 more week in December. Jim, one of the world’s preeminent theoretical physicists and experts on super string theory, is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Science and was a member of President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Jim shared stories about his childhood, family, and career with hundreds of elementary and middle school students. He also had a conversation with Ocean Leader program alumni and participated in a panel discussion with Shara Fisler, Ocean Discovery’s Executive Director, at a special event held in Jim’s honor with partners, supporters, and the community. In December, Jim returned to the Living Lab for a special event with our community to read passages from his new book, “Proving Einstein Right: The Daring Expeditions that Changed How We Look at the Universe”.
Erika Santacruz Lopez, Grupo Tortuguero
August 2019
Erika, a biologist who studies the physiology and conservation of sea turtles, joined us in August 2019 and was our first international scientist to visit. Erika is originally from Spain but now lives in Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California, Mexico. Erika leads the local chapter of Grupo Tortuguero, a sea turtle conservation and monitoring organization that works throughout all of Mexico. In 2019, we partnered with Erika and Grupo Tortuguero on our long-term sea turtle research project in collaboration with our science partners. Near the end of this project, Erika traveled to San Diego to deliver our project data, meet with our Ocean Leader Research Fellows and partner scientists, and talk to students about her career in sea turtle research. It was an honor to host a visiting scientist from Bahía de los Ángeles, the site of our BAHIA program, and we look forward to continued collaboration with Erika.
Dr. Joyonna “Joy” Gamble-George, New York University
September 2022
We welcomed Joy as our first Scientist-in-Residence since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was incredible to finally have a visiting scientist with us again, and we couldn’t have asked for a better mentor than Joy, a neuroscientist who studies brain disorders and mental health. During her two-week stay, Joy visited a wetland habitat and built ROVs with 5th graders during school; discovered invertebrates with students during after-school camp; discussed her personal journey with students during daily programs; visited high school Ocean Leaders at Hoover High; and enjoyed an intimate evening of dinner & conversation with some of our closest partners and supporters. We are happy to have built this relationship with Joy that persists as she continues to mentor students and connect other mentors to the organization.
Dr. Solomon Bililign, North Carolina A&T State University
Joined by his wife, Abeba Merga, a Kindergarten teacher
October 2022
We first met Solomon more than a decade ago, when he also received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring alongside Ocean Discovery. As Shara says, “You never forget someone who was in the room with you when you met President Obama.” After their visit in October, our community will never forget Solomon and Abeba. Solomon uses chemistry and physics to study the impacts of biomass burning on air quality and public health in Africa. He inspired our students and staff by sharing how he uses science to make a difference to improve human lives, as well as sharing about his personal journey to overcome oppression and become a science leader. His wife, Abeba, also worked with our students and used her exceptional skills as a longtime educator to mentor City Heights students. Their visit was capped off with a special event at the Living Lab where nearly 100 community members, partners, and supporters had the opportunity to hear Solomon speak about his life and his work.
Alfonso Macias Tapia, Office of Education & Old Dominion University
December 2022
We closed out 2022 with a bang as Alfonso brought infectious energy and passion to the Scientist-in-Residence position. At the time of his residency, Alfonso was finishing his PhD in Ocean & Earth Science at Old Dominion University, while also serving as a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the Office of Education. Alfonso’s week-long residency overlapped with our 8th grade In-School Program, so he had the opportunity to share his journey, including growing up in Mexico and discovering his passion for science, with more than 150 8th grade students during his stay. He also spent several afternoons building mentoring relationships with a close-knit group of students during the after-school camp. We closed out his visit with a special dinner at the Living Lab where we celebrated Alfonso’s time with us alongside our other partners.
Dr. Wilnelia Recart Gonzalez, University of San Diego
February 2023
Wilnelia, at the time a postdoctoral researcher, and now an Assistant Professor in the Biology department at University of San Diego, holds the honor of being the first San Diego resident to join us as Scientist-in-Residence. Wilnelia talked with many students about her upbringing in Puerto Rico and her current research studying plant ecology and how pollination is influenced by climate change and non-native species. Wilnelia’s stories of how she became a science leader inspired all the students she met, from 1st graders to high school students. She also took the opportunity to dust off our 3-D printer and created incredible rocky intertidal invertebrates to share at the Living Lab. We are fortunate to have a Scientist-in-Residence alumni living and working here in San Diego, and look forward to more opportunities for Wilnelia to mentor our students as she continues her career at University of San Diego.
Dr. Jeanette Davis, Hampton University & children’s book author
March 2023
Before Jeanette, a best-selling children’s book author, joined us as a Scientist-in-Residence, we had already shared her amazing books with young people in City Heights–so it was a dream come true for Jeanette to be with us in person. Jeanette, whose scientific background is in marine microbiology and also works as a an Assistant Professor in the School of Science at Hampton University, shared her passion for science communication with our students in City Heights, from reading her book to kindergarten classes to speaking about her career with high school science classes. A highlight of Jeanette’s week-long residency was a special “Meet the Authors” event, hosted in her honor at the Living Lab. More than 100 community members joined us to hear an interview between Shara Fisler, Ocean Discovery’s Executive Director, and Jeanette, followed by Jeanette reading her book “Jada’s Journey Under the Sea” to the audience, which included many excited young people. Jeanette autographed copies of her book for every person who attended, and we eagerly await the chance to share the next book she writes with our students.
Dr. Natalia Rodriguez Revelo, Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) and San Diego Natural History Museum
April 2023
We were incredibly fortunate to have Natalia, who works in both San Diego and Baja California, Mexico, join us for a week as our Scientist-in-Residence. Natalia is a leading expert on the entomology of coastal sand dunes in Baja–an area that holds a special place for Ocean Discovery given our decades-long high school study abroad program in the region. Natalia came with many insect specimens from Baja that she showed students as she described her research. She also joined students in the field at a 9th grade field trip to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, giving students the opportunity to practice field biological research alongside a science mentor. Having overcome barriers as a woman pursuing science in Mexico, Natalia connected deeply as a role model with our students, especially those who have close ties to Mexico.
Monique Baskin, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
June 2023
Monique, from the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, visited us to mentor students at the beginning of 2023’s summer programs. Joining Monique was her daughter, Kyria, who holds the distinction of the first-ever child of a Scientist-in-Residence to stay with us! While Kyria participated in summer camp as a student, Monique served as a summer camp mentor, discussing her unique pathway to joining her employeer with our students–Monique shared that her career journey took many twists and turns before she ended up with her current employment. We were also fortunate to have Monique mentor our rising 9th grade Ocean Leader students during their intensive “Ocean Leader Bridge Program”, which kicks off their journey through high school and college as science leaders. The Bridge program included several activities with our local partners in La Jolla, and it was incredible to have her join our students as they met our local science partners. We look forward to more collaboration with Monique and hope that Kyria will convince her mom to take her back to City Heights every summer!
Lisa Kim, Office of Education
September 2023
Lisa, who is the Congressional Affairs Specialist, helped us kick off the 2023-24 school year with a bang as our first Scientist-in-Residence of the new school year. Lisa is a long-time partner of Ocean Discovery’s, and it was incredible to finally host her as a Scientist-in-Residence. During her week in residence, Lisa joined visiting 5th grade classes as they investigated wetlands at the Living Lab and participated daily with students in our after-school science camp. Excitingly, Lisa also mentored our high school Ocean Leaders when they came to the Living Lab for the first time as part of our new, weekly Ocean Leader Wednesdays program. Lisa supported our Ocean Leaders as they engaged in college readiness and “math muscle” activities. Our staff and students were inspired by Lisa’s story of her personal journey to overcome challenges and pursue her career pathway. Her deep experience in the education field was also evident through her productive and meaningful daily interactions with students – all of whom were sad to say goodbye at the end of Lisa’s week!
Mona Behl, Georgia Sea Grant
November 2023
Mona visited Ocean Discovery from Georgia, where she is the Associate Director of Georgia Sea Grant. Her residency started with a bang, as she attended our first-ever Splash! fundraising event at the Living Lab just hours after her plane had landed in San Diego. Mona’s week coincided with the 2nd grade unit of our In-School Program, and Mona met 2nd graders as they visited the Living Lab to learn about wetlands and ways they can make a difference to protect them. Our students and staff were inspired to learn about Mona’s personal journey to her career in science, including obstacles she overcame along the way, and mentors who helped her achieve her goals. Excitingly, Mona also interviewed two Ocean Leader alumni with a goal of capturing the stories of our students and their families as they grew up and pursued careers in science. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Mona on these oral histories to document more stories of our students in City Heights – as well has hosting Mona again for more mentorship opportunities!
Jhenevieve Cabasal, Natural Resources Management Specialist
March 2024
Jhenevieve, who is a Natural Resources Management Specialist, was our first Scientist-in-Residence of 2024. A first generation Filipino-American whose life was heavily influenced by her immigrant parents, Jhenevieve has strong passions and values for combating social injustice, inequity, and discrimination. She leads her division’s DEI team and a regional environmental justice team. Her passions and values for combating social injustice, inequity, and discrimination stem primarily from her upbringing. During her time as a Scientist-in-Residence at Ocean Discovery, her passions were evident during conversations and presentations with staff and students. Jhenevieve’s stories were inspiring for our students, who could see how they could follow a pathway to a science career similar to Jhenevieve. Fortunately, Jhenevieve is based in nearby Long Beach and we look forward to having her mentor our students again in the future.
Aja Szumylo, Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative
June 2024
Aja joined us as a Scientist-in-Residence with her two children, Sequoia and Odessa, who participated in our Summer Camp during their week at the Living Lab. As Executive Director of the Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative, Aja’s focus is at the intersection of biology, policy, and economics as she supports a major fishery to fish in sustainable ways. This type of work resonated with our students as they considered how fisheries can impact our planet, people, and profits. With our Summer Camp in full swing, Aja was immersed with students enjoying a tuition-free, summer enrichment program, and having her there every day as a Scientist-in-Residence made their camp experience that much more fulfilling. Aja is also a big advocate for diverse workforce representation, particularly in the government, and she shared these perspectives with staff and students as well.
Shellby Johnson-Rodney, Office of Ocean Exploration
October 2024
We were excited to host Shellby in October 2024 and see her natural connection with students of all ages. An Outreach and Education Specialist with the Office of Ocean Exploration, Shellby’s skills and experience in outreach enabled her to thrive in the role of Scientist-in-Residence. Shellby’s personal story of perseverance and overcoming challenges to pursue her passion for ocean science and education resonated with students, particularly our high school students who are preparing for journeys in higher education. Students were also fascinated to learn about Shellby’s experiences on deep sea exploration vessels and how she communicates this topic to the general public. Shellby’s mentorship made a tremendous impact on everyone and our students came away picturing themselves in careers in ocean exploration and science communication.
Mikal Montgomery, National Weather Service
November 2024
Mikal was our final Scientist-in-Residence of 2024, and his visit certainly ended our year on a high note. Mikal is a meteorologist for the National Weather Service (NWS), and also a participant in their Ambassador Program, which enables personnel to conduct communication and education about the agency’s mission. Mikal’s personal story and pathway to a career in weather science, which included time with the Air Force before his current position at NWS, showed our students that career paths are rarely linear. His experiences, including multiple positions where he was one of the few people of color in his field, inspired his current passions for education, mentorship, and environmental justice. Students and staff were also thrilled to learn about Mikal’s current work, which includes flying on aircraft into the eye of hurricanes to collect critical atmospheric data. His work helps communities prepare for hurricanes, reducing their financial impact and saving lives. Mikal embodied Ocean Discovery’s philosophy of giving students the “spark” that makes them want to learn more!