Turn of the Tide Turn of the Tide Podcast

To discuss her research on the effects of air pollution on lung health, Jessica Monterrosa, a PhD student in the Environmental Health Sciences Program at UCI’s School of Medicine, speaks with TOTT. Her research focuses on the impacts of smoke from solid fuels used in developing countries on lung health. She is an avid science communicator, and is a member of The Biota Project. On this episode, she also discusses Biota, a science communication and outreach organization that connects underrepresented communities to science.

Our latest podcast covers various issues women in face in science on a daily basis. We go through the typical day of a women graduate student and the challenges we face in teaching and research, as well as after the work day. We offer tips to support and act as allies of women in science.

If you’re a grad student who has wondered if your ecology Ph.D. will be useful outside of academia, check out these lessons learned after a month in Washington, D.C.! Ecologists interested in the types of science policy opportunities for our field will want to check out these lessons as well. This is part 1 of 3 of a special edition series on science policy in D.C. as an ecologist.

In Part 1 of a special-edition series on the closure of the red abalone fishery in California, I explore the history of this iconic and important species, and what the December 2017 decision to close this fishery means. I first interview Katie Sowul, a scientist from CA Fish and Wildlife, who discusses how she and her colleagues assess wild red abalone populations, and what the ongoing threats to this species are. I also explore the cultural importance of these animals in an interview with Aryana Henthorne of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians. She discusses the ongoing colonization of this fishery, challenges for Native people who depend on this resource, and the cultural importance of red abalone.

This is Part 1 of a series on red abalone. The series will continue to explore how science and communities can embrace multiple knowledge and value systems to move toward a more sustainable future while preserving human rights and culture.