AM: Hey everyone, this is Viridis Miranda! She is currently a graduate student at the University of Puerto Rico, and she is researching seismic receiver functions on the moon. So to start off, could you just tell me a bit about you–your academic path, your career path, and more about what research you’re doing now?

VM: Awesome. As Alex presented me, my name is Viridis Miranda. I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, majoring in geology. My research focus is on seismic receiver functions on the P and S waves of moonquakes. Moonquakes are really interesting because their signals don’t necessarily come from plate tectonics. They come from thermal contractions, tidal effects, and also meteoritic impacts. Apart from my graduate studies, I’m also a full-time employee at the Puerto Rico Seismic Network. I’m a geophysical analyst and I monitor the area of responsibility of Puerto Rico and the British Islands, and I’m also a first responder as well. I consider my job as being a geophysical analyst a first responder because we have 24/7 shifts, we monitor the seismicity of the island, and we also make important calls if there’s a felt quake. As far as my academic background, I also graduated from my Bachelor’s of Science at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, in geology as well. I did a little bit of everything before going into graduate studies and going into the geophysical side. I did two undergraduate research projects on shock metamorphism, which is the defects that minerals have based on meteoritic impacts and also on geochemical analyses on three granitic bodies, discovering whether or not they came from the same magmatic origin. As far as it goes, that’s pretty much covered my academic background and what I’m currently doing as a career.

AM: To move on, I wanted to ask, was this something that you always knew you wanted to do? What got you into science communication? How did you find your passion for it?

VM: Very interesting questions! How did I get into science communication? Apart from being a geophysical analyst at the Puerto Rico Seismic Network, I do have a side project which are podcasts. The podcasts are with Rebaso Noticioso, so the English translation is like a news flash. My part in that podcast is with Enrique, which is the one in charge of the podcast, to inform the public of the seismicity of the island. I report how many felt events there were during the week and also cool earthquake myth[s]. For example I like debunking myths, at one point I started to talk about San Andreas, like what are the myths of San Andreas so we don’t do the triangle of life anymore to protect ourselves. What we do is other methods of earthquake preparedness and also if an earthquake occurs,  we won’t be able to run as fast as in the movie. and I like doing that. For science facts. I also like talking about what I do as a graduate student, and love podcasting because it gives the opportunity for me to tune in my voice and for me to be heard, and also to talk about something very complicated and very simplified terms in order for every single age to learn. I also got invited to a radio talk show host once to talk about my major in geology, and I love doing that, so I get invited from time to time to talk about for example about the igneous bodies of Puerto Rico, or to talk about why there’s karst in the north and south of Puerto Rico, what is the oldest rock being dated within the island and stuff like that. And to be able to have such a creative space in order to inform the public about what I do, and in order to inform the youth about the geoscience degree being held at the University of Puerto Rico. and if you want to study all these aspects geology is such a very field and I love having that kind of space to make my stuff heard and science be heard and science be cool. Not everything has to be very dull and serious! You can have fun while learning. I also like to show my skills in Spanish and English in order for every single type of population here in Puerto Rico to be able to learn from the science aspect. and that’s how I really got into science communication. I just love talking and podcasting as well so that’s how I got into the field overall.

AM: That’s really cool. Did you have any challenges or things that you think you really excel in, like combining the more hard science and the more communications side of what you do?

VM: For sure. I’ve learned along the way that sometimes when you communicate science you have to be able to communicate to every single type of population. My advisor always tells me “rehearse your research to your mom,” like talk to your mom. Your mom is not going to really know about seismic receiver functions right? I mean if I explain it to her in enough detail in a sense she could be able to know what I’m going for. But I do very much enjoy explaining something very complicated to any type of public. And I rehearse in front of my family, in front of my friends, and it’s a challenge because there are some terms along the way that sometimes you’re like “how can I explain this?”  for someone that’s not within my field to understand? And I’ve been taking workshops in order to better my communication for it to come across in terminology and length also because I can give a super complicated talk about, for example, how does the incoming P wave come through a medium and transform into a P-sub-S but does really every single one of the whole population that’s not within seismology understand that. Maybe not. But if I bring a slinky and just move the slinky around and say P waves are compression and S waves are transverse waves, they go in a wave up and down, that’s the thing I love and that’s a challenge that I come across like how do I come across with analogies being fun and dynamic for people in order to understand what I do.

AM: I love the slinky example for me, even, it’s the most memorable one. So to segue a bit I wanted to ask how you came across this internship and EarthScope in particular? How do you see this internship sort of fitting in with your long-term goals?

VM:  I feel pretty blessed being in this internship. It’s actually shown me a lot., not only as a science communicator but also another professional aspect, like for example, accountability and also how to perform my tasks during, you know, the organization skills and how I came across it. I’m always on Linkedin. LinkedIn is like my best friend. I love EarthScope Consortium, I follow it as a physical analyst.  I was always on the lookout for internships in order for me to make these two skills because in the long run I want to make this a career like not only being a scientist but also communicating my science. Also a really good friend of mine that works with me, she applied for it, and I didn’t apply for it at the same time she did.  I was like “you know what, this time around I really want to apply for it!”  and I really want to show my skills. And it really paid off looking at everything in length and then liking Iris and EarthScope, because you got lots of notifications on what types of internships are available in order for you to hone different types of skills.

AM:  I think the endless scrolling on LinkedIn is pretty good sometimes!  Generally, I’d also want to ask, for somebody who might be in your shoes next, what advice would you give? Not necessarily to an undergraduate student, but just to anybody who’s earlier on in a similar career.

VM: The advice that I would give if they want to go into a geoscience career or to go to college, for example, study any STEM field, is networking. Do not be afraid to try new things, even though you think you might not be cut out for it. Because if I was talking to my 17-year-old self and I was next to her right now, and about to apply for colleges, I would never in a billion years have guessed that I would be doing seismic receiver functions on the moon. Always with math and science, sometimes people find it a little bit taxing, but I’ve always applied to myself what my advisor says to me: “you think more than you realize.” And I think we don’t give ourselves enough credit for the talents that we have. I’m very outspoken, I’m very extroverted. and that would make me cut out for being a science communicator. Also, my passion for science is what made me motivated to try different things until I found my passion  on the thing that I would like to work on. I did undergraduate research projects on different topics. I was never afraid to talk to people or network with people. Yourr knowledge and your background doesn’t matter because we’re all students at the end of the day we keep learning as we go. So I would say be brave, get yourself out there, try new things and talk to everybody. You never know who might be, you know, your next co-worker or your next advisor. I always say life has very unexpected trajectories and pathway,s but it’s really interesting and cool once you get the chance.

AM: Yeah, I totally agree with everything you said. Well, I think that covers it, we can end here! Thank you so much for talking to me!

VM: Sure, thank you for inviting me!