Thanks for watching and commenting, Steven! I enjoyed watching your video and learning about the Schoolyard LTER program in El Yunque. It's powerful to see how engaging youth in hands-on recovery of El Yunque after Hurricane Maria has given students insight into the adaptability of the rainforest and allowed them to reflect on their own experiences of recovery and resilience. As Rita shared, the Latinas at Work series of 12 role model shorts are being used by outreach partners across the country, including Puerto Rico, and is freely available to all. In addition, both Dr. Merced and Dr. Grizelle González. a research ecologist at the International Institute of Tropical Forestry served as mentors for a SciGirls episode, Asombrosos Arboles (Terrific Trees), which premiered on PBS Kids in 2018. In this episode (filmed prior to Hurricane Maria) three girls from San Juan explore the benefits that big trees bring to their ecosystems, comparing trees in the rain forest and the city. All six episodes of SciGirls' Spanish-first season are available at http://www.scigirlsconnect.org. In case our partners in San Juan aren't familiar with your project, I'll share your presentation link with them as well!

Thanks Rita and quick question, are you sure the link above is the one you meant to use? It seems to go to just one video...I'd love to learn more about the whole series.

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! Filming with Dr. Merced was such a pleasure, as you can guess, because of her energy, knowledge, and true passion for what she does. I'm glad you're going to check out the Terrific Trees episode! You can find that, and the other 5 Latina SciGirls episodes, right here.

As for your question about collecting data/feedback -- I'll let one of my colleagues who works more closely with that take the lead!

Thank you for letting me know where I can learn of your results in the future--I'll be sure to check back.  The quotes you shared suggest that the videos will be helpful to educators and girls alike, as well as resonate with members of the community.  There is much power in them!

Thanks for watching and sharing about your own work, Noelia! If any of the scientists who are working with students in your program would find it helpful, SciGirls has developed some strategies for making the most of role model opportunities that can be found at: SciGirls Role Model Strategies

Thanks for watching and commenting, Daniel! It’s been a privilege to be part of spotlighting Dr. Merced’s research and work engaging youth in science education, and to see how her story is inspiring more girls to harness the power of STEM, both in Puerto Rico and beyond. You raise an interesting question about the interrelation between the scientific community in Puerto Rico and the overall recovery of the island after Hurricane Maria.  Some of the scientists with whom we collaborated on the SciGirls Asombrosos Arboles episode are doing important work studying the health and recovery of the El Yunque rainforest and more information can be found at International Institute of Tropical Forestry.

Following the release of the episode, we posted a follow up video on SciGirls social media channels of the 3 SciGirls' experience of Hurricane Maria and how it directly affected them, their school, and their community. It was powerful for us and I hope for viewers, too, to hear directly from our SciGirls about their experiences with this natural disaster. https://www.facebook.com/scigirlstv/videos/10160225057325788/ 

Thanks for sharing this Gina, how cool. Is there any discussion of picking up on that idea and producing updates on your scientists and their work, storm related or not? The storm would be a clear incentive for follow up, but it makes me think that it might be interesting in other ways as well - following careers, how projects develop, what the life of a scientist/role model is like more deeply over time?

These videos are so terrific! Thanks for sharing your work with the Showcase.

Thanks for your question! The SciGirls team does keep in touch with the girls and women featured in the TV episodes and role model video shorts. It’s wonderful to hear how they’re achieving their educational and professional goals and continuing to share their knowledge and experience by mentoring others. Our team has discussed ideas internally, like collecting follow up data, organizing a participant reunion, and producing update stories showing how careers and lives continue to evolve over time. However, we don't have concrete plans in place at this time.

Thanks for watching and contributing to the discussion, Sarah! We’re continuing to disseminate this season of Spanish-first TV episodes, role model videos and activity guides produced as part of the Latina SciGirls project, now in its third and final year. We’re also seeking opportunities to produce more profile videos in order to represent an even greater diversity of STEM interests, professional and educational experiences, cultural influences, geographic location, personal backstories, etc. and provide an even broader variety of potential affinity points for viewers.

We would love to hear if any Showcase participants utilize role model media resources in their classrooms or youth programs. If so, do you think that more stories of younger role models (high school and college age women whose experiences have influenced their decision to pursue STEM learning pathways) would be useful, in addition to the profiles of women who are already working in STEM fields?