The Vegalteña Mónica Feliú Mójerdirector of Public Participation in Science of the group Science Puerto Rico (CienciaPR), was elected as a member (“fellow”) of the California Academy of Sciencesin recognition of his contributions to research, education and scientific communication.
“For me, one of the important things about this type of opportunity is to be able to use that privilege, that influence and that access – which this type of recognition can grant – to be able to continue advancing my mission of putting science at the service of Puerto Rico and of communities that are marginalized in science”he said to The New Day via telephone from California, where he lives.
With the recognition of the Academy –announced last Tuesday–, Feliú Mójer joined, along with 13 other colleagues from various disciplines, a network of nearly 500 distinguished scientists in the United States. In a press release, the dean of Sciences and Research Collections of the Academy, Shannon Bennetthighlighted that the contributions of the new members “are at the forefront of biodiversity science and pave the way for future generations of scientists, educators and storytellers.”
Among other things, Feliú Mójer directs community programs at CienciaPR that seek to impact marginalized communities, leads scientific communication collaboration between the collective and The New Dayand is a producer and co-host of Puerto Rican Science Thursdaya segment that is broadcast on the Radio Isla station.
She said that her main interest in science was studying medicine – she has a doctorate in Neurobiology – but it was not until she collaborated as a volunteer with CienciaPR that she discovered that she could combine it with writing and communicating, two of her tastes.
“The support of many people and different communities has been crucial to getting to where I am. Although it is common in science that, many times, recognition is given to individuals, in reality, science is a collective enterprise and science is done in community”he stressed, after emphasizing that one of his main objectives is to bring knowledge to vulnerable communities.