Geological Society of America Announces 2021–2022 Fellows for Science
Policy and Communication
Boulder, CO, USA: GSA is pleased to introduce three outstanding new Fellows
who will assist with efforts during the next year to increase efficacy in
serving society through science.
The 36th GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow (CSF) is Amanda Labrado, a biogeochemist with a broad background in
earth and environmental sciences. She recently received her Ph.D. from The
University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where she studied how microbes
facilitate the formation of minerals on the top of salt domes, large
geological features located below Earth’s surface. Her graduate research
was supported by a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship for Planetary
studies since her project, although centered around Earth-based
observations and experiments, has implications for the search for life
elsewhere.
Through the course of her studies, Labrado broadened both her scientific
and cultural horizons by conducting geophysical surveys of the subsurface
in South Africa, geomicrobiology in Spain, and cave research in Sicily and
Cambodia, along with participating in international conferences. Labrado
received numerous scholarships from various organizations, including The
Geological Society of America (GSA), the Society of Independent
Professionals Earth Scientists (SIPES) Foundation, and the American
Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG), as well as from a petroleum
research consortium. She completed an internship with Chevron and was also
awarded the Bruce Davidson Memorial Award in Geosciences, which commends
both scholastic excellence and community involvement within the geosciences
department.
Labrado was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, a predominantly Hispanic
border community situated in the semi-arid landscape between the Franklin
Mountains and the Rio Grande. As this border region is greatly affected by
air pollution and drought, Labrado learned how inseparable socioeconomics,
policy, and science are, and the challenge of successfully and effectively
communicating science with various audiences. Because of this, Labrado
served as the president for the local chapter of the Association for Women
Geoscientists, which promotes women and other underrepresented groups in
the geosciences, and president of the El Paso Geological Society, which
aids in exposing the community of El Paso to local geological attractions.
These organizations helped her engage with local teachers, students, and
non-scientists, gaining a unique perspective on the intersection between
environmental, social, and political issues.
Morgan Monz
will serve as the 2021–2022 GSA Science Policy Fellow in Washington D.C.
Monz has a broad background in earth sciences and science communication.
She recently earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, where her
research focused on better understanding the microstructural processes in
natural ice that play a major role in glacier and ice sheet movement.
During her Ph.D., Monz worked as a teaching assistant, served on multiple
departmental committees, and volunteered as the department’s outreach
coordinator. As part of the American Geophysical Union’s Voices for Science
2020 policy track cohort, she conducted policy outreach activities to
promote the use of data and scientific knowledge in decision making, and to
increase engagement between scientists and policy makers. She also helped
launch the Twin Cities Science Policy Network in an effort to increase
science policy engagement within Minneapolis and St. Paul, specifically.
Prior to her Ph.D., Monz earned her B.A. from Colby College where she
double majored in geology and environmental science. At Colby, she
developed a particular curiosity for understanding the complex interactions
between humans and the environment. Her current interests incorporate
climate science, geology, and science communication, specifically on how
the intersection of these topics can be used for building a repository of
accessible data that supports policy aimed at developing a more climate-
and environmental hazard–resilient nation.
Emily Zawaki
began her term on 1 August as the 2021–2022 GSA Science Communication
Fellow. In this role, Zawacki will help translate technical research from
GSA journals and meeting presentations into relatable stories for
non-technical audiences.
She recently received her Ph.D. in geological sciences from Arizona State
University. Beyond her scientific expertise, Zawacki has significant
experience in traditional communications and journalism; she was
editor-in-chief of her undergraduate alma mater’s newspaper and was
selected to participate in GSA’s Science Communication Internship program
in 2019. She greatly enjoys conducting science outreach online and has
created numerous fun educational
videos for YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram
on a wide range of subjects. Zawacki is pleased to have the opportunity to
bring her skill set together as GSA’s Science Communication Fellow, where
she looks forward to incorporating multimedia as a means of making
cutting-edge geoscience research more accessible for non-technical
audiences.
The Geological Society of America (GSA) (https://www.geosociety.org)
unites a diverse community of geoscientists in a common purpose to study
the mysteries of our planet (and beyond) and share scientific findings.
Members and friends around the world, from academia, government, and
industry, participate in GSA meetings, publications, and programs at all
career levels, to foster professional excellence. GSA values and supports
inclusion through cooperative research, public dialogue on earth issues,
science education, and the application of geoscience in the service of
humankind.
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