Claudia Ponce de Leon, Ph.D.

Dr. Claudia Ponce de Leon is a faculty member at UNAM in charge of the Environmental Analysis Unit and the Ecology and Natural Resources Area in the Faculty of Sciences. She has a PhD from the University of Cincinnati and a Master's degree from the University of East Anglia. Dr. Ponce de Leon specializes in water chemistry and the effects caused by environmental stressors on aquatic organisms, communities and ecosystems.

How will citizen science support your research?

With the support of enthusiastic citizens, we can cover a lot more ground and be able to sample comprehensively. With their keen observations of the surroundings, we can pinpoint sources of disruption (e.g. contamination) of the environment.

What do you enjoy about working on water chemistry and aquatic ecosystems?

Water is life. Water is much more dynamic than, for instance soil. There are more things going on in water and they happen a lot quicker than in other environmental matrices. Also, water is the unifying matrix between the other ones (air, soil, sediments or underground). That is why studying water is a challenge that excites scientist.

What is your favorite moment in the field?

Being outside, watching the surrounding environment, can explain so much more than just scientific tests. Being outside, you never stop to marvel at mother nature.