On Monday, April 14, Dr. Laura Cisneros, an ecologist, educator, and professor at the University of Connecticut, came to campus as this year’s Stroud Science Symposium speaker.
Science Department Chair Graham Hegeman spoke about the importance of the yearly symposium. “The purpose is to reach out to students and give them a look into what a career in science might look like…and so bringing someone to campus who has an actual in depth day-to -day of what it looks like to be in one of those careers is pretty valuable,” Mr. Hegeman said.
Dr. Laura Cisneros, originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, studied Zoology at Michigan State University and also got her Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Connecticut. She currently runs UCONN’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NCRA), and she works to help teens lead real-world, hands-on environmental projects. She does this by bringing together science, technology, and community action to protect nature and be mindful citizens of our wonderful planet. Dr. Cisneros gave a lasting presentation to our community highlighting some of her past work, current work, but most importantly, her WHY and how she continues to impact students day after day.
Cisneros began the symposium with an interactive movement game where questions were presented on the screen, and if they applied to you, you would stand in agreement. This was a way to get our community to understand that whether we like it or not, we are all environmentalists, and we are all impacted by our environment daily. “Like so many of you, if I was out in the audience in high school, I wouldn’t have seen myself as an outdoorsy person either,” she said. “The messaging that was told to me of an outdoorsy person was someone who went hiking, fishing, camping, and that’s just not what my family did. So I’m not sure how I would’ve responded back in the day,” Dr. Cisneros said.
Growing up, Cisneros didn’t see environmental careers as a pathway forward, as she was often told she should be a doctor or a lawyer. Instead, she followed her heart and her passion for science while also connecting back to her Mexican and European roots as the driving force for her passion. Cisnero also noted that she originally wanted to be a science teacher but realized she wasn’t quite prepared to do so, and eventually, a trip to the zoo with a friend changed her plans for the better. “I happened to be at the zoo with a friend complaining that I was lost career-wise and didn’t know what I was going to do with myself,” Dr. Cisneros said. “And he turned to me and said, ‘Well, we came to the zoo today and you like animals, so why don’t you consider zoology?’ And it was a lightbulb that went off at that moment.
Dr. Cisneros’ inspiring career story spoke to the fact that if you have a passion for something, you can make a career out of it as well as make a difference in many people’s lives. She also spoke to her community action initiatives, her studies abroad, and her work to recruit people in policy, law, and other fields to advance environmental action as a whole.
Thank you to Dr. Cisneros for such an impactful visit and to Mr. Hegeman and Mrs. Stutz for making this experience possible and available to our KO community.
