Thriving Earth Exchange is pleased to announce our May 2025 cohort of Community Science Fellows!
They’ll be working with communities across the United States, Mexico and South America to launch impactful community science projects. The partnership will connect communities with scientists and technical experts and support them as they work together to tackle local challenges related to natural hazards, natural resources and climate change. Stay tuned for more information about the impactful projects to come from this launch and the communities who lead and inspire them!
Brian Arruda is an aspiring geosciences researcher currently working as a conversation diver. He earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College in Environmental Studies and Spanish. While in college he has done remote sensing research with NASA DEVELOP, supported cacao farmers in Peru, and planted 100,000 square feet of wildflower gardens around campus. With a background in remote sensing, environmental humanities, forestry and agriculture, Brian is eager to leverage geospatial technologies to support community resilience. In his free time, Brian recharges by diving, backpacking, exploring new books and tending to his ever growing collection of houseplants. He’s excited to join the AGU community, eager to connect with others who share his belief that creativity, resilience and teamwork can spark a brighter future.
Brian Arruda aspira a ser investigador en geociencias y trabaja como buzo de conservación. Obtuvo su licenciatura en Estudios Ambientales y Estudios Hispánicos de Dartmouth College en E.E.U.U. Durante sus años universitarios, realizó investigaciones de teledetección con NASA DEVELOP, apoyó a los trabajadores del cacao en Perú y plantó más de una hectárea de flores silvestres. Con experiencia en teledetección, humanidades ambientales, silvicultura y agricultura, Brian está entusiasmado por aprovechar las tecnologías geoespaciales para impulsar la resiliencia comunitaria. En su tiempo libre, Brian bucea, practica senderismo, explora nuevos libros y cuida su jardín interior. Está emocionado por unirse a la AGU y conectar con otras personas que comparten su convicción de que la creatividad, la resiliencia y el trabajo en equipo pueden conducir a un futuro brillante.
Faten Attig Bahar – details coming soon!
Miguel Ignacio Fernández Lizana has a BA and MA in Anthropology. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Anthropology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His research interests are the social studies of science and technology and the history of science (particularly the history of anthropology). More recently, he has been attracted to issues related to climate change and citizen technoscience.
Miguel Ignacio Fernández Lizana tiene una licenciatura y una maestría en Antropología. Actualmente cursa un doctorado en Antropología en la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Sus intereses de investigación son los estudios sociales de la ciencia y la tecnología y la historia de la ciencia (particularmente la historia de la antropología). Más recientemente, se ha sentido atraído por temas relacionados con el cambio climático y la tecnociencia ciudadana.
Camila García-Echeverri (she/her/hers) is a Colombian civil engineer with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a Master’s in Hydraulic Resources from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Currently, she is pursuing a diploma in Project Management for International Cooperation Projects. As a researcher at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Latin America, Camila works with the Water Group, focusing on community-based monitoring of environmental variables to integrate local data into water management and planning. Her expertise includes water modeling, climate change analysis, and the dissemination of hydroclimatological information to empower local communities.
Camila García-Echeverri (ella) es ingeniera civil colombiana, con título de pregrado en Ingeniería Civil y una maestría en Recursos Hidráulicos de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Actualmente cursa una especialización en Gestión de Proyectos de Cooperación Internacional. Como investigadora del Instituto de Ambiente de Estocolmo (SEI) América Latina, forma parte del grupo de Agua, donde se enfoca en el monitoreo comunitario de variables ambientales para integrar estos datos en la gestión y planificación hídrica. Su experiencia abarca modelación hidrológica, análisis de cambio climático y divulgación de información hidroclimatológica para
comunidades locales.
Bernabe Gomez is a postdoctoral researcher in coastal engineering at UCLA. His research focuses on ocean physics and their interactions with coastal environments, particularly tsunami waves, coastal flooding, and their impacts on human infrastructure and natural ecosystems. He earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Cardiff University, where he developed methodologies to enhance tsunami early warning systems. Bernabe integrates data science techniques, such as artificial intelligence algorithms, with numerical modeling tools to gain deeper insights into complex physical processes and analyze influencing factors. Passionate about nature and wildlife, he enjoys surfing, snorkeling, and diving.
Bernabe Gomez es investigador postdoctoral en ingeniería costera en UCLA. Su investigación se centra en la física oceánica y sus interacciones con los entornos costeros, en particular las olas de tsunami, las inundaciones costeras y sus impactos en la infraestructura humana y los ecosistemas naturales. Obtuvo su doctorado en Matemáticas en la Universidad de Cardiff, donde desarrolló metodologías para mejorar los sistemas de alerta temprana de tsunamis. Bernabe integra técnicas de ciencia de datos, como algoritmos de inteligencia artificial, con herramientas de modelado numérico para obtener una visión más profunda de procesos físicos complejos y analizar los factores que influyen. Apasionado por la naturaleza y la vida silvestre, disfruta del surf, el esnórquel y el buceo.
Tara Harmon is an ecologist from California with a background in forestry, fire ecology, and geography. She holds a Master’s in Environmental Systems from UC Merced and a Bachelor’s in Conservation and Resource Studies from UC Berkeley. Her graduate research explored the human dimensions of fire—focusing on communication, recovery, and collaborative management. She was fortunate to learn from a Tribal cooperative in the southern Sierra Nevada, where Tribes and private landowners trained and carried out cultural and prescribed burns together.
Before grad school, Tara worked as a restoration ecologist in the San Francisco Bay marshes, an outdoor education instructor near Los Angeles, and a research assistant at an experimental forest in the Sierra Nevada. When she’s not looking at plants and maps for work, she’s probably still doing it for fun. She enjoys hiking, camping, growing vegetables and native plants (with mixed success), reading, and music.
Megan Hubbard (she/her) lives in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and is a Mineral Resources Specialist for the State of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Land and Natural Resources. She is completing a master’s degree in Applied Geosciences through the University of Pennsylvania.
Megan grew up in California’s San Francisco Bay Area and earned her undergraduate degree in Geology-Physics/Mathematics from Brown University. She has lived and worked in urban areas including San Francisco and Honolulu, rural communities in Western Colorado and Hawai‛i’s Puna District, and remote wilderness settings ranging from Yosemite National Park to Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Her career is driven by a deep interest in how people connect with nature and a commitment to finding sustainable and equitable solutions for utilizing Earth’s natural resources.
Megan spent 18 years as a science educator, working with K-12 students in both classroom and outdoor education settings. While teaching topics on natural hazards, renewable energy, water resources, and climate change, Megan emphasized hands-on learning, critical thinking skills, and getting students outside the classroom as much as possible. She enjoys developing creative ways to make complex scientific concepts understandable to diverse audiences. Through her work with students, Megan has developed a passion for lifelong learning, and she remains dedicated to helping others understand the natural world and the importance of earth science in their lives.
Patrick Marchman has 20 years of experience in the environment, climate and resilience fields, having worked for several agencies in the U.S. government. Upon graduating from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in coastal policy, he worked for the U.S. Army Reserve, overseeing the environmental, natural resources, and cultural resources programs for Army Reserve operations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Later, he managed environmental and real estate programs for the Federal Highway Administration in the state of Michigan. Patrick has also worked extensively for FEMA as both an employee (where he developed the agency’s first climate resilience toolkit) and as a consultant, developing climate adaptation plans for cities throughout the Midwest and writing multiple hazard mitigation plans for California communities and tribes. Patrick has worked on a wide range of projects for local government, private firms and non-profits, including a sea-level rise plan for coastal New Jersey, a climate and sustainability strategy for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and helping to stand up InnSure, a climate-focused insurance industry nonprofit by supporting the development of its Total Cost of Resilience model and helping obtain funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Patrick has been an AICP-certified urban and environmental planner since 2011 and holds a Sustainability and Climate Risk certification from the Global Association of Risk Professionals. He has served as an expert reviewer of grant applications for the US Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and NASA, and has been a visiting critic for the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Samuel Marcus is a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying fault mechanics with Dr. Hiroki Sone. Samuel graduated from Wesleyan University in 2023, and previously spent multiple years in campaign organizing. In his free time, he enjoys meditation, vintage stores, watching the New York Mets, and any activity outdoors, in particular skiing and mountaineering!
Sara Melena is a communication specialist with the National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate. She works with resource managers and interpreters to communicate science and stewardship topics. She also applies social science and communication theory to influence stewardship behaviors such as safe wildlife viewing, proper food storage, and reef-friendly sun protection. Sara has a Master of Science in Human
Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University and an undergraduate degree in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of California, San Diego. She has been with the National Park Service since 2007.
Felipe Geovanni Olivares Abarca has a Master‘s degree in Engineering Sciences from the Universidad del Desarrollo, is a Chemist and has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Santiago de Chile. Additionally he has a TSU in Physical and Chemical Analysis from the University of Santiago de Chile. He is a member of the AMTC (ADVANCED MINING TECHNOLOGIC CENTER) as a young researcher in the Sustainability research group and to the C+ research center as a young researcher (Center for Technologies for Society, Envirohealth Dynamics) where he has built participatory systems for the understanding of environmental and health dynamics. In addition, he has provided support in the scientific project “Voluntarios por el Agua”, Cajón del Maipo. Felipe likes to go trekking, rafting and activities with nature, he likes to listen to the river, enjoys to feel grounded and like to observe the water and the air when he travels through Chile and in other countries.
Felipe Geovanni Olivares Abarca tiene un Máster de Ciencias de la Ingeniería de la Universidad del Desarrollo, Químico y Licenciado en Química de la Universidad de Santiago de Chile, TSU en Análisis Físico y Químico de la Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Perteneciente al AMTC (ADVANCED MINING TECHNOLOGIC CENTER) como investigador joven en el grupo de investigación de sustentabilidad y al centro de investigación C+ como Investigador joven (Centro de tecnologías para la Sociedad, Envirohealth Dynamics). Construyendo sistemas participativos para el entendimiento de las dinámicas ambientales y de salud. Ademas de dar apoyo en la coordinación y científico en proyecto Voluntarios por el agua, Cajón del Maipo. A Felipe le gusta hacer trekking, rafting y actividades con la naturaleza, le gusta escuchar el río, sentir el suelo, el agua y el aire cuando viaje por Chile y en otros países.
Maria Salazar is a third-year PhD candidate in the Climate & Space Sciences Department at the University of Michigan. Before graduate school, she earned her undergraduate degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a software engineer. Currently, her research focuses on how large-scale and local climate impacts terrestrial vegetation and carbon uptake through photosynthesis in Earth System Models. She is passionate about understanding the science behind our natural world and about translating scientific insights into actionable policy. Maria is excited to combine science and community action to solve local problems as a Community Science Fellow! Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading, and tending to her aquariums.
Anushka Srivastava is a mission-driven analyst with a passion for community resilience with over 5 years of experience in the climate space. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and a Master’s in Climate & Society. Her expertise includes strategic planning, data communication, and community engagement. In her free time, Anushka enjoys baking, and playing the drums. She’s excited to leverage her background to support and enhance climate resilience and community planning initiatives that make a real difference.
Marissa Tousley is a materials scientist and environmental engineer who is passionate about teaching and education, public service, and the outdoors. She is currently an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, where she has taught courses and conducted research on topics such as membrane-based water treatment, nanotechnology, and energy systems. She has a growing interest in science policy and community science and her commitment to actively engaging in these areas has deepened as a result of a recent stint as a science policy fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy. An alumnus of Alfred University (B.S.) and Yale University (Ph.D.), Marissa loves spending her free time hiking, exploring mountains, and testing out new recipes. Marissa is excited to learn and contribute as a member of the incoming cohort of Community Science Fellows!
Danna Villarreal is a native Panamanian and a current PhD student in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering program at the University of Arkansas in the United States. Her research focuses on understanding how dams and agriculture jointly impact water quality in the U.S., with the ultimate goal of identifying inefficiencies in management across large-scale systems. She has international academic experience, having completed her master’s studies through the ERASMUS MUNDUS joint master’s program in Flood Risk Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the Technological University of Panama. Danna is
passionate about interdisciplinary topics, multicultural collaboration, and providing solutions that benefit all living beings.
Danna Villarreal es panameña y es estudiante de doctorado en el programa de Ingeniería Biológica y Agrícola de la Universidad de Arkansas en los Estados Unidos. Su investigación se centra en comprender cómo las represas y la agricultura impactan conjuntamente la calidad del agua en los EE. UU., con el objetivo final de identificar ineficiencias en la gestión en sistemas a gran escala. Cuenta con experiencia académica internacional, habiendo completado sus estudios de maestría a través del programa de maestría conjunto ERASMUS MUNDUS en Gestión del Riesgo de Inundación. Obtuvo su licenciatura en Ingeniería Ambiental de la Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá. A Danna le apasionan los temas interdisciplinarios, la colaboración multicultural y brindar soluciones que beneficien a todos los seres vivos.
Aara’L Yarber is an atmospheric scientist and science communicator passionate about using research to serve communities. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Howard University, working on air quality modeling across the United States, and has also researched air pollution and public health impacts in West Africa. Aara’L enjoys blending science and storytelling to make complex topics more accessible, with writing published in The Washington Post, Eos, and Capital B News. In her spare time, she loves drawing, hiking, and stargazing.
