Mario Colon, a first-year master’s student, graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a minor in Conservation Biology. During his undergraduate career, Mario conducted research supported by the University of California Natural Reserve System. He used statistical modeling to evaluate species’ “biodiversity hotspots” in California adequate for future land acquisition by the Reserve System. After college, he worked for the UCLA La Kretz Center of California Conservation Science, a center dedicated to conservation through active research and public education. While at the Center, Mario managed several academic programs, coordinated public outreach lectures, and was lead representative at science education events in partnership with organizations such as the National Park Service and the LA Natural History Museum. As a result of being raised in Los Angeles while spending summers in the Guatemalan countryside and witnessing the disparity between two environments, Mario’s academic interests include wide range conservation management of biodiversity and ecosystem as well as engagement with the public. Specializing in Conservation Planning and focusing on Science Communication, Mario will develop the skills needed to act as a conduit between research and communities impacted by environmental issues.