JACKSON, Wyo. — Three University of Wyoming (UW) Biodiversity Institute graduate students are presenting their research in Jackson on Saturday, Nov. 9, in an effort to close the gap between science accessibility and minority communities. All presentations will take place fully in Spanish.

The presentations will take place in the Teton County Library and last an hour, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with each talk lasting 10 minutes. There will be time for Q&A and discussions following the presentations, and free tacos and drinks.

One of the aims of these talks is to make science and research accessible to the growing Latino community in the state. Abbey Morales, communication and marketing specialist with the UW Biodiversity Institute, tells Buckrail that as a first-generation Mexican American growing up in Wyoming she never knew careers in science and conservation existed until she attended UW.

“We want to make our science more accessible,” Morales says. “It’s really inspiring for young people to come to see the opportunities that they could have in college. It’s also nice for Spanish speakers and Hispanics who came to the U.S. when they were 14 or 15 years old and didn’t ever go to college; they don’t have higher education and yet they could learn so much about the place they live in.”

One of the students is studying cutthroat trout in the Teton River and will be presenting on that. The other two students will share research from tropical forests in Panama. 

Everyone is welcome to this free event. RSVPs are highly suggested, and can be made here.

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River Stingray is a news reporter with a passion for wildlife, history and local lenses. She holds a Master’s degree in environmental archaeology from the University of Cambridge and is also a published poet, dog mom and outdoor enthusiast.