STJR Student Contributes to Communicating Climate Research
For Roberto Molar Candanosa, learning English was difficult and understanding science was intimidating. Now, however, while finishing his STJR degree, he works full-time as a science writer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Roberto spent his early years in Linares, Mexico, and moved to the United States at age 15. Although he recalls struggling to learn English, he found that he enjoyed the language, and he majored in English as a Texas A&M University undergraduate.
Since entering the STJR program, Roberto has become a US citizen. His citizenship has allowed him to obtain science communication internships at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the NASA Langley Research Center. He also did an editorial internship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center during the STJR program.
As an STJR student, Roberto learned more about scientific research, complementing his background in writing. “I really enjoyed the program’s flexibility in terms of how I could create my career,” he said. He says he also enjoyed the program’s diverse group of people interested in science communication.
Roberto’s internships helped give him the skills for his job, where he writes articles on how NOAA research helps communities plan for climate-related problems such as droughts and rising sea levels.
Outside of work hours, Roberto is finishing his thesis, which is on how the major Mexican newspaper El Universal has presented climate change. He continues to enjoy the challenges and satisfaction of English and science.