Mabel Baez Schon, Senior Specialist, Earth Observations, Global Science
“I was at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica when a colorful Toucan landed on the branch I too was perched upon. I was so startled I almost fell off!” stated Mabel in regards to the turning level that led her to a profession in conservation science. “Resting upon a beautiful tree 35 meters off the ground with a view across a luscious tropical forest, I was struck by an epiphany,” she stated. “I had met my fears head on–the worst of which were about snakes and heights–to study what I love.”
Today, Mabel works on conservation initiatives around the globe. “I’ve used my research skills to provide support for projects ranging from deer management in Upstate New York to butterflies in the Amazon rainforest,” she stated. But it’s these early moments in her profession that formed her work essentially the most. “I realized that if I wanted to make an impact in conservation my research had to be relevant to the people on the ground who are making critical decisions related to natural resource management and conservation.”
Among her many accomplishments, Mabel’s proudest second has been receiving her PhD in Natural Resources Conservation and Research. “In 2022, I was one of the 4% of Hispanic female doctoral recipients in the United States,” she stated. “As a first generation student getting my PhD was a triumph not only for me, but for my family as well.”
Mabel’s household first arrived within the U.S. when she was 10 years old. “I did not know any English. On my first test at school, I got a 28%! Up until that point, I had always been an A + student, so I was devastated,” she stated. But, along with her household’s assist, she was again on observe very quickly. “That night my mom brought out our bulky English to Spanish dictionary and my history book and told me to highlight all the words that I could not understand so we could translate them. We went through many highlighters,” stated Mabel. “Four months later, I got my first “A” within the U.S.”
The greatest lesson that Mabel has discovered all through her journey is that we’re all interconnected. “I’m not alone. Individually our actions may be small, but together we can change the world.”
