My name is Riyo Anne Reyes and I’m a Research, Education, and Extension Fellowship (REEF) intern assigned to the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant Science Communication team.

If there’s one thing that has always driven me, it’s my curiosity. I’ve always been the type of person who loves learning about new things. Staying curious about life and accepting the fact that I don’t know everything is one of those things that sustains me. It keeps me interested in the world around me and reminds me that there is always something new to learn.

Even though I chose to major in Communication and Media, I’ve realized that my curiosity has always extended to science, too. Looking back, I participated in a lot of science fairs as a kid, and even now, I find myself watching documentaries about science, wildlife, and the environment—or even attending a workshop on watermelons just for fun. I may not have chosen a STEM-related field, but I’ve always been interested in learning about how the world around me works.

I’ve also realized that I’ve always been drawn to nature, especially the water. Whether I’m here on Guam or traveling off island, I find myself fascinated by the natural environment and the sense of peace that comes with it. I can’t help but notice the ocean, landscapes, wildlife, and little details that make each place different. For a long time, I never really connected that part of myself to science because STEM wasn’t my field of study. Now, I realize that my appreciation for nature and my curiosity about it have always been connected.

That curiosity is also one of the reasons I’ve grown to love storytelling. I enjoy going out into the community and listening to people talk about their experiences, work, and knowledge, especially when it is about something I know very little about. It creates a kind of learning that extends beyond the classroom.

So, when I learned about the REEF internship as a student science communicator, I saw an opportunity to bring these interests together: learning more about the environment I’ve always been drawn to while using the communication and storytelling skills I’ve developed through my major.

In a way, my internships have taken my curiosity from space to land and sea—literally (well, almost). Over the summer, I completed my professional internship with NASA Space Grant, and now, I am a REEF intern with the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant). While they may seem like completely different worlds, both experiences have given me the opportunity to explore science through something I already love: communication and storytelling.

As a Communication and Media student, I’m not coming into science communication as a scientist. Science can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially with the amount of research, data, and complex projects being conducted. When you aren’t in a STEM field, it can be easy to feel separated from those conversations or like you don’t have a place in them.

I think that is where a science communicator has an important role. Environmental issues and conversations about sustainability don’t only belong to scientists and researchers—they affect all of us as community members. Science communication can help bridge that gap by making complex information more accessible and helping people recognize that they have a place in these conversations, too.

To me, being a science communicator means being both a learner and a teacher. I first have to listen, ask questions, and be willing to learn about something I may not completely understand. Then, through journalism and storytelling, I can share what I’ve learned in a way that helps someone else understand and connect with it, too.

For me, science communication isn’t just about explaining science. It’s about staying curious, continuing to learn, and helping more people feel like they can be part of the conversation about the land and sea we all share.