Marci Caballero-Reynolds awarded CALES Spring 2020 Outstanding Senior

Every year, CALES acknowledges graduating undergraduates that have played a significant role in the CALES community. This year the award was given to Marci Caballero-Reynolds, an active member in SNRE that has been involved in five different SNRE labs as well as the Ecological Restoration Club, 500 Women Scientists, and GALS. She also illustrates designs with fellow SNREr, Maya Stahl, for faculty and organizations affiliated with the department.  
 
Marci is fascinated by restoration ecology in arid environments, especially riparian and post-fire succession. Before attending University  of Arizona, she spent several years working with the Southwest Conservation Corps, which entailed living in the wilderness full-time, managing invasive species and building recreational trails throughout the West. Her years spent living outdoors revealed Marci?s passion in ecology and inspired her to pursue a degree in Natural Resources.
In hopes of working as a specialist for a land management agency, Marci is graduating with a bachelor?s of science this spring and plans to attend graduate school to obtain a master?s degree. Long-term, however, Marci dreams of starting her own non-profit organization in the Philippines, where she grew up. She hopes to combine her passions for ecology, outdoor adventures, and science communication to provide women and girls with greater access to outdoor experiences and education, using traditional stories to communicate ecological concepts on a more personal level. These endeavors are particularly valuable in today?s society for closing the rift between scientists and the general public. Communicating science to citizens in creative ways that pull from local traditions is essential for effectively providing the community with the information and tools needed to solve environmental issues.
 
Slideshow photo by Tristan Pineda on Unsplash