National Geographic Emerging Explorer
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Professor Geosciences Florida Atlantic University
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Explorers Club Fellow
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Speaker and Writer
Featured Explorer National Geographic/Cengage Textbooks:
Featured Explorer and Storyteller in Voices (2022)
​Featured Explorer in Exploremos! (2016)
Featured Explorer in National Geographic Language Mission Textbook (2013)
Featured Explorer in Life Science Textbook (2011)
Featured Explorer in World English 2, ESL Textbook Textbook(2008)
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National Geographic Funded Research Projects
Meridian Collaboration Grant: PI
• Climate Migration at the Extremes: Linguistic and Ethnobotanical Adaptations of Kapingamarangi Islanders, Micronesia. (2022)
Expeditions Council Grant, Collaborator
• Blue Holes National Park: Mapping and Community Ecological Collaboration (Bahamas) (2016)
• People and Plants: Useful Plants of Bubango Community (Tanzania) (2014)
• Plant lore and environmental understanding in Mwamgongo (Tanzania) (2017)
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• Amazonian Oil Exploration: Contradictions on Culture and Environment. (Ecuador) (2009)
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• Wild Food Plants: Balancing Conservation and Utilization in Ecuador (South America) (2009)
• How Cultural Awareness and Ingenuity Benefits Forest Stewardship Council Certification in
the Developing World: Case Study in Zimbabwe, Africa. (Africa) (2008)
• “Starvation Taught me Art”: Tree Poaching, Gender and Cultural Shifts in Wood Curio Carving
in Zimbabwe. (Africa) (2008)
National Geographic/American Geographical Society, Global Food and Land Use, NYC, NY (2022).
National Geographic Explorer Classroom, Why Plants Matter, virtual teaching (2020).
National Geographic Explorer Classroom Trees and ethnobotany, virtual teaching (2019)
National Geographic Explorers' Festival lightening round, Ethnobotany with the people of Tanzania, Washington D.C. (2019)
National Geographic Sciencetelling Bootcamp, Ethnobotanical Knowledge
Transference in Ecuador and Tanzania, Washington D.C. (2018)
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National Geographic Explorers’ Festival, “Lightening Round” Ethnobotany
of the Olep, Rukha, Bhutan, Washington D.C. (2018)
National Geographic Explorers’ Festival, “Exploration in Progress” Ethnobotanical o
outreach in Blue Holes, Abaco , Washington D.C. (2017)
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National Geographic Explorers’ Symposium, “Exploration in Progress” Ethnobotanical
booklet; Tanzania, Africa , Washington D.C. (2016)
National Geographic Explorers’ Symposium, “Exploration in Progress” People and
Plants: Tanzania, Africa , Washington D.C. (2015)
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National Geographic and Cengage, Dinner Keynote Speaker, MEXTesol: Language
and Environment:Connecting People, Plants and Communication. Queretaro,
Mexico(2013)
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Grade school science day: Keynote speaker, National Geographic Science Textbooks
Making Science Applicable, Ottowa, IL (2012)
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Student Science Day, National Geographic Science Textbooks Science: Rainforest Life,
Springfield, MO (2012)
Super Science Saturday Keynote Speaker, National Geographic Science Textbooks
Ethnobotany and science education, Houston, TX (2012)
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Super Science Saturday Keynote Speaker, National Geographic Science Textbooks
Mixing Science and Culture, Lee County, FL (2011)
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National Geographic Fairmont Hotel Series, Yucatan Ethnobotany: Humans and the
Environment, Fairmont Hotel, Mayakoba, Mexico (2011)
National Science Teachers’ Association, Special National Geographic Session, Teaching
Science and Culture: Conservation and Education, San Francisco (2011)
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National Geographic Science Textbooks, Ethnobotany and the Importance of Science
Education, Indiana (2010)
National Geographic and Heinle Publishing, Culture, Science and Language: Making
the Connection. Chile, Uruguay and Argentina (2010)
National Geographic, “Closer Look” Series, Tree Use and Empowering Tibetan Children,
National Geographic Society, Washington D.C. (2010)
National Geographic, Enduring Voices Symposium, Poster Odd conservation:Forest
preservation through use. Washington, D.C. (2008)
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National Geographic Explorer’s Symposium, Ethnobotany, Washington, D.C. (2007)
National Geographic, National Geographic Live! Ethnobotany, Ecuador and Africa.
Washington, D.C. (2006)
National Geographic, Explorer's Symposium, Ethnobotanical work, Washington,
D.C. (2006)
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Part of the National Geographic Speakers Bureau since 2016