Transdisciplinary Earth-Life Science and Education on Gulf Islands

The desert islands of the Gulf of California provide a unique natural laboratory for conducting transdisciplinary Earth-Life research while inspiring curiosity in the natural sciences among local youth.

This project will collect new geological and biological data on Isla del Carmen to support education and outreach activities for young people from the Loreto-Ligüí communities. Research activities will include the development of a modern geologic map to characterize the island’s geologic history, as well as biological surveys across different geologic habitats to better understand the ecology of select endemic species.

Findings from this research will help reveal how the distribution of endemic species may be influenced by geologic substrates and other Earth processes. The project will conclude with educational field trips for local schoolchildren, focused on the island’s unique species and natural history, aiming to spark scientific curiosity in the next generation of Sonoran Desert researchers.