TEACHING AND OUTREACH
I believe that part of our mission as scientists is to share our knowledge and to make science and nature accessible to everyone.
I have presented my work in many international conferences, participated in outreach projects, and organized several seminars and conferences, and I truly enjoy giving lectures at schools and universities. Since 2020, I have also been teaching several subjects for Master courses at Bielefeld University (Germany), including Urban Ecology, Ecosystem Wadden Sea, and Animal Ecology in a Changing World. Teaching is one of my passions, and it is a tremendous honour to have been nominated by students, and awarded by the university, the “2024 Karl Peter Grotemeyer Prize for outstanding achievements and personal commitment to teaching” (news in German but you can use the browser translator).
Before starting my Postdoc position, I decided to explore my science communication skills outside of academia, working simultaneously for about two years (2018 to 2020) with two different companies in Portugal:
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1) I worked as a nature guide in the breathtaking Peneda-Gerês National Park, spending my day talking with visitors, driving off-road in Defenders, kayaking, hiking in the mountains, and swimming in waterfalls. I was fortunate to work for Oporto Adventure Tours, a company that promotes responsible tourism, cultural traditions, and nature conservation.
2) I also worked as a science instructor at the Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva (University of Aveiro), where I engaged people of all ages, particularly school groups, in science-based activities. These activities varied widely, from guiding groups through a live exhibition of spiders to teaching the science behind making food (and cooking with them) and building and programming robots. If you can explain complex scientific concepts to five-year-olds, you can explain them to anyone!
These two positions were incredibly rewarding, and I learned a great deal about science communication, teaching across all age groups, managing people, and problem-solving. I acquired valuable skills that I carry with me into my Postdoc.
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