My diversity/outreach philosophy
I believe that having a more diverse population represented in STEM fields leads to greater innovation and an accelerated rate of progress. In my mind, the term diversity encompasses socioeconomic background, race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, ability, religion, and any other way in which a person might identify as being different from their peers. I feel extremely privileged to grow as a physical oceanographer at Princeton University, and I never thought that I would have this amazing opportunity. A strong and persistent aim of mine is to help others from underrepresented backgrounds make their way into the world of STEM, and to more generally promote upward mobility for all.
Outreach events in the past
A group of AOS students/scientists in Princeton and I prioritize remaining engaged with our New Jersey community. Here we (myself, Gabe, and Winnie) are using the rotating tank setup which I built for outreach and scientific demonstration, during the Spring Into Science outreach event which was attended by over 300 people! By video calling the phone that co-rotates with the tank, people are able to see our model ocean/atmosphere from both rotating and non-rotating points of view.
Here I’m leading a group of kids in an experiment demonstrating how carbon dioxide leads to ocean acidification, at the 2023 NJ Fun Days event in Sandy Hook.
Outreach events in the future
If you’re part of an organization that is interested in hosting a group of atmosphere/ocean scientists to give a talk and provide demos related to climate science, then please reach out! We have presentations and demonstrations with varying levels of participation and ``science’’ that can be made suitable for a wide range of students based on age, knowledge, and interest.
Princeton AOS Applicant Mentorship Program (AMP)
I am the initiator and lead organizer of the Princeton AOS Applicant Mentorship Program, a program that pairs Princeton AOS applicants with current students/postdocs, in order to support them through the application process. If you’re considering applying to our program and would like access to the wealth of knowledge of the current student body, please fill out the application form, found on the AOS Prospective Students page.
Though one goal of this program is to increase the diversity of the Princeton AOS student body, students from all backgrounds are encouraged to participate!
Future collaborators
If you’re a fellow scientist interested in beginning outreach in your community, or you’re curious about any of the experiments shown here, feel free to drop me a line.