Dr. Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta wants to change the way we do science to better address environmental injustice. As the Director of Project Harvest and assistant professor in Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona, she engages with community members living near contaminated sites through citizen science on the health of their harvested rainwater, soil and plants.
Collecting and analyzing thousands of environmental samples, as well as building relationships in the community, helps to democratize the scientific method. By including and informing these impacted communities, Dr. Ramírez-Andreotta believes they can take better care of themselves, their families and their environment.
This story was made possible in partnership with the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona.
Additional support for the research in this story was provided by the National Science Foundation, Ramírez-Andreotta Integrated Environmental Science & Health Risk Laboratory, UArizona College of Public Health and the Sonora Environmental Research Institute.
Producers: John Casamasa & Sandra Westdahl
Photographer: Sandra Westdahl
Editor: John Casamasa
Sound: Galen McCaw
Additional Sound Recording: Angel Marquez
Communications: Caroline Mosley