As part of the NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates and Teachers, this role involved serving as Senior Research Staff during a 21-day community-based field experience in Hopkins Village, Belize. The focus was on mentorship—supporting undergraduate students and K–12 teachers as they designed and conducted research projects around local issues like flooding and debris management.

The work was rooted in place and people. It meant walking alongside teams in the field, troubleshooting on the fly, and helping turn community concerns into research questions that mattered. Tools like Field Maps, Drone2Map, and ArcGIS StoryMaps helped teams gather data and communicate their findings visually and effectively.

At its core, the project prepared future professionals in geospatial science, education, and public health while helping teachers bring these same tools and experiences back into their classrooms. Real-world research, led with purpose and guided by the community.