about
us
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Zoelie Rivera-Ocasio
Zoelie Rivera-Ocasio is a researcher in soil science and biogeochemistry, with a focus on teaching and learning. She has 10 years of experience in education, which has allowed her to combine her scientific knowledge with innovative pedagogical strategies. She is the founder and director of Arte-Suelo-Ser, where she establishes collaborative networks with key agencies and institutions to strengthen conservation efforts in the Caribbean region. She is passionate about life and its complexity and finds joy in appreciating the details.
Zoelie Rivera-Ocasio
Executive Director, Educator, and Founder
Yomaries González Bermúdez
Yomaries González Bermúdez is an environmental scientist specializing in soils. She is responsible for co-managing, in collaboration, the specific tasks that make the formation of the project possible. On the other hand, she develops informational materials and co-facilitates talks and educational workshops. What inspires her most about her work at ASUSER is the multidisciplinary team at the organization, their perceptions, and experiences.
Yomaries González Bermúdez
Co-director, Environmental Scientist
Carmen María González Ramos
Carmen González is a biologist specialized in marine ecosystems and task and project management. Her experience includes creating and implementing strategic plans, developing workshops, drafting proposals, and preparing reports. Passionate about photography, learning, and everything related to nature, she finds in her work with ASUSER an opportunity to practice and deepen her knowledge in an area that has always inspired her.
Carmen María González Ramos
Assistant director, Biologist
Margaret Mair
Margaret Mair conceptualizes, co-curates and designs the different components of the museum, always seeking a balance between the artistic, innovative, pedagogical and accessible. She is a digital humanist, cultural manager and Puerto Rican artist-educator. She cultivates an artistic practice at the intersection of motherhood, colonialism, ancestrality and coexistence with all living beings in the Caribbean. She grew up with soil under her nails and a sea salty hair, which is why she feels ASUSER's work is vital to connecting more people with the living world, fostering love for it, and co-caring for one another.
Margaret Mair
Digital Museographer
Alexandra Santos Ocasio
Alexandra Santos is an artist-educator with over a decade dedicated to developing art from various approaches. Her artistic practice spans multiple mediums and has been showcased in individual and collective exhibitions in Puerto Rico, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Croatia. At ASUSER, she contributes to the development of creative sessions and educational workshops with artistic focuses. What inspires her most is working with brilliant and talented individuals who seek creative solutions through art and education. Her passion for art drives her to innovate and connect in every project.
Alexandra Santos Ocasio
Curator and Artist-Educator
Jorge E. Pasarell
Jorge Pasarell is the programmer for the Caribbean Soil Museum and is responsible for translating the team’s ideas and visions into interactive experiences that connect the public with the richness of our soils. Passionate about water sports such as surfing, paddleboarding, and foiling, he initially joined ASUSER with a focus on the sea but ended up deeply inspired by the soil. Now, as he learns about the complexity, beauty, and significance beneath our feet, his work focuses on helping others discover it as well.
Jorge E. Pasarell
Programmer
Leidy Fernández Montiel
Leidy Fernández is an agricultural engineer with specialization in soils. She discusses and reviews the written and selected material to be included in the Caribbean Soil Museum, ensuring it is understandable for different audiences. She is passionate about contributing her knowledge to developing teaching tools for soils, especially on topics related to agriculture and environmental education. What inspires her most about her work with ASUSER is being able to convey scientific knowledge in a simpler language that everyone can learn from.
Leidy Fernández Montiel
Scientific reviewer and Agricultural engineer
Onix H. Cabezudo Vázquez
Onix is a Field Technician, soil scientist, and GIS Specialist. He documents landscapes through 3D images and videos for the Virtual Caribbean Soil Museum and collaborates on the Soil Heritage Project. He has developed a digital soil map using ArcGIS Online, integrating geospatial data on soil health and taxonomy in natural reserves across Puerto Rico. He is passionate about communicating scientific soil information through cartography, highlighting its value in preserving natural and cultural heritage.
Onix H. Cabezudo Vázquez
GIS Specialist
Raziel Antonio Ordóñez, Ph.D.
Raziel Ordóñez translates scientific knowledge and advances into tangible and applicable products. Through an interdisciplinary approach, he aims to contribute to the understanding of ecosystems and promote sustainable practices that benefit both nature and communities. He is passionate about reading and traveling to nourish his personal knowledge and make it accessible to our community. What he is most passionate about in his work at ASUSER is connecting with people who think and feel for the same concerns from a different perspective, but converge for the common good
Raziel Antonio Ordóñez, Ph.D.
Scientific reviewer and Agronomist
Kimberly Santiago Sosa
Kimberly Santiago is an artist-educator and professional photographer. She is passionate about helping others and using her voice to empower a message of justice, freedom, and equality for an entire community. What inspires her most about her work at ASUSER is the opportunity to learn about how the soil works and how it helps us.
Kimberly Santiago Sosa
Artist-Educator and Photographer
Jennifer E. Cardé Cruz
Jennifer facilitates workshops and serves as a liaison between the team and the community, creating spaces for meaningful connection and learning. She is passionate about teaching and building genuine relationships with people, driven by her commitment to a Puerto Rico with better educational and economic opportunities. What inspires her most about her work is the opportunity to collaborate with a team that shares her vision of creating social change through education, recognizing its potential to transform lives and strengthen communities.
Jennifer E. Cardé Cruz
Educator
Daniela Batista Quiles
Daniela Batista is an artist-educator in Waldorf pedagogy and musician. She conducts educational workshops about the creation of soil watercolors and their use in artistic creation, as well as contributing to the development of educational materials. She is passionate about teaching, creating art and music, reading, and plants. What inspires her most about her work at ASUSER is learning, serving, and above all, the community with which they intertwine, support, and serve for collective well-being.
Daniela Batista Quiles
Artist-Educator
Lara Sánchez Morales, Ph.D.
Lara Sánchez helps maintain the organization's leadership structure, secure funding, and build collaborations. As an archaeologist, she finds inspiration in studying the ancestral soils of our archipelago and their connection to the cultures that once inhabited them. What inspires her most about her work with ASUSER is the opportunity to contribute her knowledge and passion to understanding and preserving these historic soils.
Lara Sánchez Morales, Ph.D.
Environmental Archaeologist
María Cristina Ríos-Pérez
María Cristina currently supports the coordination of the 2024 Congress, administrative tasks, social media posts, among others. She is passionate about Puerto Rico, belly dance, getting to know new things in general, but especially those related to the arts (music, theater, film, dance...), dancing, conversing, spending time with friends, and enjoying the little things that really aren't so little. What inspires her most about her work at ASUSER is learning about issues that concern us all and contributing to raising awareness about the importance of the land, the arts, and education.
María Cristina Ríos-Pérez
Administrative Assistant
Emmanuel Rodríguez Rivera
Emmanuel Rodríguez has participated in ASUSER by offering basic soil courses, providing support for activities with the Soil Science Society of America, and promoting the organization's initiatives. He is passionate about writing. What inspires him most about his work with ASUSER is the variability, synergy, and balance of ideas. He believes that the members have great potential to continue growing academically, professionally, and personally. For him, it is both education and fun.
Emmanuel Rodríguez Rivera
Soil scientist
Rina Otero Pérez
With her/his background in environmental sciences, she/he seeks to facilitate collective approaches to learning spaces, using audiovisual and plastic arts as a language, documentation, and access to content that is otherwise restricted due to the unequal distribution of resources. Rina is passionate about living in creative spaces that explore the self, the body, and the mind. What inspires her/him most about working with ASUSER is to explore the sciences through an education that does not retreat, but instead collaborates with creative spaces to support and promote accessibility to learning.
Rina Otero Pérez
Educator-Artist and Environmental Scientist
Noelia Mercedes García Rodríguez
Co-designs tools for educators, participatory workshops, and visual resources that serve as bridges to connect more deeply with our home: the soil. Finds joy in playing, celebrating love in all its forms, and enjoying community theater. Constantly learns from the fascinating world of soils and the importance of trust, creativity, and empathetic communication. Their greatest inspiration comes from the power, creativity, and diversity of their team, with whom they share the conviction that it is possible to transform and heal as a community.
Noelia Mercedes García Rodríguez
Educator-Artist and Public Health Professional
Thaïs Ortiz Rivas
Thaïs Ortiz is a student interning with ASUSER, focusing on researching pigments and paints made from soils. She seeks to experiment and explore the full potential of these paints while educating and inspiring other artists to learn about the incredible resource that soil represents. She is passionate about watercolor, history, nature, and art. What inspires her most about her work with ASUSER is the opportunity to share her passion, research, and knowledge with others, creating a mutual learning and nurturing experience.
Thaïs Ortiz Rivas
Artist-Educator and Researcher