About us

The IUGS Young Reporters is a dynamic team within IUGS that brings together passionate and talented young and early career geoscientists. Our mission is to create written reports and videos recounting stories or interviewing relevant authorities to inform and engage the general public on various topics related to Geosciences. From climate change and volcanic hazards to earthquakes and geological curiosities, we strive to share our knowledge about our planet and explain the ways in which our actions as individuals have an impact in our home: Earth. We strongly believe in the interplay between scientific advances and environmental responsibility, and our goal is to foster understanding, raise awareness and train the next generation of science communicators. Join us on this exciting journey!

Project leaders

María Daniela Muñoz-Granados

IUGS Social Media and Outreach Manager

Founder of the IUGS Young Reporters initiative

Geoscientist, Planetary Geosciences MSc

I'm a Colombian geoscientist and Erasmus Mundus Planetary Geosciences MSc student, who is currently in charge of social media and outreach activities at the IUGS. I graduated from the University of The Andes in 2019, and after that, I worked as a research assistant at the same university. Later, I worked as a research intern at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and, subsequently, as a professional geologist at the Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC). In parallel with my research and work experience, I co-founded a bilingual (English and Spanish) science communication project named Geolchat with two female colleagues. I am a committed believer in the importance of "soft skills" in science. Our investigations, when published in scientific papers, are relevant, but they become very powerful when society understands and makes decisions based on reliable information. If we all know and understand the dynamics of our planet, it will be easier to take care of it.

Yamirka Rojas-Agramonte

IUGS Executive Councilor, Community Manager and Founder of the IUGS Young Reporters' initiative.

Research Associate at Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

I completed my degree as a geology engineer at the University of Pinar del Río, Cuba. After finishing my degree, I trained as a stratigrapher/sedimentologist at the Institute of Geology and Paleontology in Havana (Cuba) followed by a period of training in Geological mapping and GIS at the ITC-Enschede (the Netherlands). I continued my Ph.D. studies in Salzburg (Austria) focusing my research on paleostress analysis, geochemistry, and geochronology of the Sierra Maestra mountain, eastern Cuba. I continue my scientific career studying the evolution of orogens and island arc systems through time in regions of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, the Caribbean, and the northern Andes. In the last years, however, I have focused my research on quantitative understanding of sediment recycling processes in subduction zones, mantle compositional heterogeneities, and the evolution through time of mantle plumes, hotspot-related islands, and associated Large Igneous Provinces.

IUGS Young Reporters

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Jaime Celedón

BSc. Applied Industrial Engineer

As a passionate environmental advocate, I've focused my career on sustainability through scientific projects and outreach. Three months ago, after living in Germany I embarked on a self-directed journey around the world to study climate change, integrating science, policy, and society. Engaged in communities, conferences, and sustainable development initiatives, my goal is to promote innovative and collaborative solutions to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of anthropocentrism. I aim to sow a seed of consciousness in every action, fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and the environment.

Stalyn Paucar

Geology student at the Central University of Ecuador

I am Stalyn Paucar from Quito, Ecuador and I am a student of Geology at the Central University of Ecuador. Currently I do new editions and translations to Spanish of literature about the Geology of Ecuador. These edited and translated resources are open-access and are available in the Internet Archive repository @stalynpaucar.

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Maria Camila Manosalva

Geoscientist - Universidad de Los Andes

Colombian geoscientist, with expertise in Environmental Geology and Public Policy focused on earth sciences with interest in developing activities related to research projects in environmental geology and renewable energy, analysis and interpretation of geochemical data and integrated risk management. Lover of movies and fiction books, trekking and coffee.

Paul Christian Yang-ed

Geologist, In-house Lecturer & Laniakea Ventures Director

I am Paul Christian Yang-ed, a registered geologist based in the Philippines. I currently serve as an in-house geologist-lecturer and director for research and development at Laniakea Ventures, an educational consultancy startup. My job takes me from school to school, where I share the wonders of Earth and Space Science with students. Before my current role, I authored textbooks on Earth Science and Disaster Risk Reduction and worked in research and communications for an environmental nonprofit organization. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Geology in 2017 from the University of the Philippines-Diliman. My key fields of interest include Planetary Geology, Volcanology, Chronostratigraphy, Environmental Geology, and Science education.

Daniel Makasi Mahamba (Jasiri Levergénois)

Green Journalism Consultant and Podcaster

I am a Green Journalist Consultant based in Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition, I am a Tetea Mazingira Podcaster on Natural Resources Governance and a mobile filmmaker. I foster the rights of marginalized groups of people including the right to information of children.

Carolina Ortiz-Guerrero

PhD Geoscientist

I am a geoscientist (Ph.D.) passionate about using Geosciences' communication and education to foster and promote awareness, enjoyment, and literacy of Geosciences in society. As an educator and researcher in science communication, I thrive on developing innovative scicomm projects and exploring the impact of digital science communication tools in the Geosciences, reaching diverse audiences. As a co-manager of a Geosciences Scicomm platform, GeoLchat, I oversee the creation of multimedia science-communication content for social media platforms, catering to audiences in both English and Spanish.

Mukhtiar Ghani

PhD, University of Gottingen, Germany - Assistant Director, Geological Survey of Pakistan.

I am Mukhtiar Ghani, a dynamic Geologist from Pakistan, holding both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Geology from the University of Peshawar. Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Structural Geology and Tectonics at the University of Göttingen, Germany, with a focus on the "Spatio-temporal evolution of the western Indian plate boundary region." My background in Geology includes diverse roles such as Assistant Director and Assistant Geophysicist at the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP). I have also served as a Trainee Geologist at the Oil and Gas Development Company in Islamabad and worked as a Research Associate at NCE in Geology, University of Peshawar. My extensive field experience spans across Pakistan and Europe, contributing to various projects in hydrocarbon, coal, water exploration, and mineral exploration. In my role as Assistant Director (Planning and Information) at GSP, I actively participated in inter-ministerial coordination related to natural resources and facilitated international collaborations with RCD countries. Notably, I co-organized two international webinars addressing water and climate change issues in the South Asian region. In the academic realm, I have showcased my prowess as a researcher, with numerous publications in reputable journals. Additionally, I serve as a referee for various academic journals and have organized notable webinar series, including "Indus River Water System" and "Siwalik Stratigraphy."

Matheus Nehale

Geology student at University of Namibia

I am a final-year geology student at the University of Namibia. My interest in science communication arose from the drastic climate changes I have observed in my country in recent years. Therefore, I would like to take the opportunity as a young reporter to raise my voice on this issue. In my opinion, the best solution to the problems we are facing with climate change is to make people understand by educating them through outreach activities. For me, the IUGS young reporters is the right platform to share my ideas on climate change in my country and to hear from others around the world.

Emmanuel Oluyara

Geology student at the University of Lagos, Nigeria

As a dedicated and passionate individual with a deep love for geosciences, I have a strong commitment to promoting awareness of Nigeria's captivating geology while shedding light on the natural disasters that my country face. I am also passionate about using research and education to positively influence the community and to contribute meaningfully to environmental preservation and disaster mitigation efforts in Nigeria. Also, I am an avid sports lover and I enjoy coding in my spare time.

Parminder Kaur

Research Scholar, Panjab University Chandigarh

I am Parminder Kaur, Ph.D. student (CSIR-SRF) at Department of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. I am pursuing my research in the field of igneous petrology. I am working on the mineralogy and petrographic studies of potassic alkaline intrusions in Jharia basin, Jharkhand, India. I am also interested in the natural stones utilized in the heritage monuments of India. As a young geoscience reporter, my aim is to raise awareness about geoscience amongst the society.