I’ve spent the last couple of years living what’s really a double life. By morning, I’m in school, going to classes, and by afternoon I’m in a lab at NASA focused on mangrove ecosystems.
Mangrove forests absorb carbon and provide a natural barrier against storm surges. They’re very valuable when we’re looking at preventing future climate change.
I first developed the idea of Ecomap because I realized there was a really big gap in our understanding of mangrove loss. Ecomap uses several different satellites and it filters in data in real-time to help coastal communities and conservation organizations define specific threats and prevent them from happening again in the future. Our science can actually make a real-world impact.
You don’t necessarily need a Ph.D. to start doing groundbreaking research. All you need is a love of the field that you’re studying, and the time to pursue it.