Meet Mariela Garcia Arredondo

An ongoing series from The Alumni Society spotlighting its impressive members

 Alma mater: Cornell | Location: Amherst, MA

Where are you from?

Fort Worth, Texas; Mexican-American

What do you do?

I’m a scientific researcher (soil biogeochemistry).

What is a career accomplishment you’re proud of?

I recently received the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellowship to intern with the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

In the spirit of giving and receiving, what do you seek from this network and what do you want to contribute?

I’m looking for mentors and connections in the private, government, and non-profit sectors in environmental work. I’m passionate about bringing application and environmental science theoretical research together in interdisciplinary environments while including and centering those most affected by the decisions we make in environmental work. I’m defending my PhD thesis in October and want to move back to Washington, DC for work and I’d like to meet people who have similar passions or motivations.

I’d like to be a resource to those who are interested in pursuing higher education (M.S./Ph.D.), want input/resource for environmental research, DEIJ in higher education, or community service (I’ve started a couple of initiatives in Amherst with friends and have worked with youth programs in Springfield, Massachusetts since 2018). I’d also like to be a friendly face for anyone who’s moving to DC. It’s always good to have someone you know when moving to a new place.

What is a fun fact about you that you’d like to share with the network?

I love Dragon Boat – being in the water with a group of folks while paddling to the sound of the drum is amazing! I was part of Cornell Dragon Boat during undergrad and loved it! Hoping to find more of these kinds of teams wherever I go.

Connect with Mariela Garcia Arredondo.