First, I collaboratively organized the visit of Dr. Iván Guzmán from New York City College of Technology to the International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF). Dr. Guzmán was participating of the USDA E. Kika De La Garza Science Fellowship, which the US Forest Service hosted for the first time; and he was interested in visiting Puerto Rico and IITF in relation to green roof research projects and to learn more about the Islands effort in this area. Since I did my master’s thesis focusing on said novel ecosystems, I got assigned the task, with other members of the Institute, to plan his time with us and cover some of the related topics. When I was first introduced to the activity and learned about the visit/fellowship I became immediately enthusiastic about the whole thing; green roofs have been the focus of both my master’s and I am very passionate about urban green infrastructure. 

We had the chance to discuss my research project on the green roofs at the Institute where I had done my work 8 years ago, but also got to see other sites in Puerto Rico that have implemented this climate change mitigation strategy as part of their built structures. All sites were great, but the Cuartel de Ballajá, a historic building in the Old San Juan area, really stood out with the various elements they have incorporated into the roof to make it not only green but also a multiuse place that engages the community it hosts. 

Immediately after this visit I got to attend the Birds Caribbean 24th International Conference along with other Forest Service scientists and fellow RAPs. Ornithology is not a field related to my current or past positions, but it is an area that I wish to learn more about, and that is why I attended this conference. Additionally, the conference program had a strong emphasis on conservation education and outreach, with many workshops with practical exercises to better coordinate and prepare educational and outreach materials and activities. 

The conference included birding tours that helped me learned about different species calls and behaviors, it also included opportunities to network with other scientists, technicians, government representatives, photographers, among others. It was held in the Dominican Republic, and being half Dominican but having developed professionally outside of the country it was great to go back and explore it from a different perspective. 

I look forward to the rest of my RAP and having more opportunities like these ones that allow me to develop my skill set and knowledge while meeting others doing great and interesting work.