I'm incredibly excited to share the news that this April, I will be participating in the California Academy of Sciences' 2015 research expedition to the Philippines. I will be there as part of the educational outreach team on the trip, documenting what our researchers are doing there, connecting with local educators, and sending reports and media back home to our youth community in the Bay Area.
The Cal Academy has a long history of scientific research, education, and conservation in the Philippines since the early 1990s. Our historic 2011 expedition was covered by ABC-7 News, in a one hour documentary that you can watch online. And you can read more about our last expedition to the Philippines on the Academy website.
Our expedition will focus specifically on the Verde Island Passage region, which we call the "center of the center of marine biodiversity" in the world. It also looks astoundingly beautiful.
You can read more about some of our educational outreach activities from last year's trip on the "Academy Adventures" tumblr we created for our youth community. I'm just starting to learn the details of the trip, and beginning to plan my own projects while I am there. So expect more updates soon.
I'm so honored to have been asked to participate in this expedition. As a Filipino-american, getting to return to my country of origin alongside my Cal Academy colleagues is just so amazing.
Now I just need to get over my fear of the water so I can do some snorkeling!