When I am back home in British Columbia I volunteer for a program called ‘Scientists and Innovators in the Schools’ coordinated by Science World in Vancouver. As a volunteer scientist I am given the opportunity to visit schools in different parts of the province. During the visits I give presentations about my career, various topics of biology and ecology, conservation and/or career planning for youth in elementary and secondary schools. I typically visit the school ‘physically’ but I have recently given ‘virtual’ school visits where I give presentations on the internet to students who study at home and do not attend formal classes at schools.

Either way, I thoroughly enjoy chatting with students particularly when they are in the process of considering their educational and ultimately their career pathways.

South America is well outside the range of the Scientists in the Schools program but I wanted to visit schools here and thanks to the efforts of my friend Veronica, I was able to visit two schools in Argentina. I was able to share a presentation with the students about my Catt-Trax 2 journey and also describe my own country and explain some of the connections that our two continents, North and South America, share.

I also have to thank the administrators and teachers at the two schools, San Ignacio in Rio Cuarto and Mark Twain in Cordoba for being willing to have me drop by and present to their students (thanks Pablo, Virginia, Cocqu, Rodalfo, Pamela and others!).

Visit to Mark Twain School, Cordoba, Argentina