Dr. Rebecca Calisi
Filmmaker, Writer, Scientist
"Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez’s research on pigeons, like her life, is one of charting an original path. Her experiences as a Mexican-Italian-American woman, professor, artist and mother have provided her with fascinating and unusual perspectives to study the biology of parental behavior. And in so doing, she is redefining what it means to be a scientist."
-iBiology in collaboration with Wonder Collaborative |
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Communication of scientific knowledge and discovery is vital to the health and well-being of our society and our planet. I use my background as an artist, actor, research scientist, and professor to help scientists accurately and more effectively communicate their ideas and discoveries with each other, funding agencies, and the public. Inspired by my own personal experiences as a scientist, my work reflects my dedication to accurately communicating discoveries. Inspired by my journey as a woman with an ethnic background underrepresented in science, I am also passionate about highlighting the contributions of these groups.
My full name is Rebecca M. Calisi Rodríguez. "Calisi" (pronounced "Ka-lee-see" ...yes, like that character from Game of Thrones..) comes from my Italian-American father, and "Rodríguez" comes from my Mexican-American mother. I grew up in Texas surrounded by my mother's amazing, dramatic, loving, charismatic family. When I set off for college, I brought the passion for life they instilled in me and used it to pursue a career in studio art and theater. However, an interesting turn of events involving a mural and a mystery at a zoo changed my path forever. Now, I'm a wildlife biologist, neuroscientist, and professor at my dream school, the University of California, Davis. I lead a research team that studies how genes and brains work to help animals reproduce, especially under stress.
I understand many of the struggles and biases that underrepresented minorities face in the workplace. To this end, much of my work focuses on positive advocacy for these groups. I have approached topics directly, such as by writing about the difficulties of breastfeeding in the workplace, postpartum depression, and childcare, creating a video about supporting underrepresented minorities, and co-producing a video about the challenges working mothers in science face. I also approach these topics indirectly by including women and underrepresented minorities in my pieces, such as in my video about the importance of studying bird brains, my series of science videos for kids hosted by myself and my six year old Puerto Rican-Mexican-Italian daughter, and a (non-science) video I made for a small, local business run by a Guatemalan- and Mexican-American couple. I use my passion and humor to make science more inclusive, culturally relative, and accessible to a broader audience. I find so much joy in getting to know the people behind the science to help them share their discoveries with heart and humor.
My full name is Rebecca M. Calisi Rodríguez. "Calisi" (pronounced "Ka-lee-see" ...yes, like that character from Game of Thrones..) comes from my Italian-American father, and "Rodríguez" comes from my Mexican-American mother. I grew up in Texas surrounded by my mother's amazing, dramatic, loving, charismatic family. When I set off for college, I brought the passion for life they instilled in me and used it to pursue a career in studio art and theater. However, an interesting turn of events involving a mural and a mystery at a zoo changed my path forever. Now, I'm a wildlife biologist, neuroscientist, and professor at my dream school, the University of California, Davis. I lead a research team that studies how genes and brains work to help animals reproduce, especially under stress.
I understand many of the struggles and biases that underrepresented minorities face in the workplace. To this end, much of my work focuses on positive advocacy for these groups. I have approached topics directly, such as by writing about the difficulties of breastfeeding in the workplace, postpartum depression, and childcare, creating a video about supporting underrepresented minorities, and co-producing a video about the challenges working mothers in science face. I also approach these topics indirectly by including women and underrepresented minorities in my pieces, such as in my video about the importance of studying bird brains, my series of science videos for kids hosted by myself and my six year old Puerto Rican-Mexican-Italian daughter, and a (non-science) video I made for a small, local business run by a Guatemalan- and Mexican-American couple. I use my passion and humor to make science more inclusive, culturally relative, and accessible to a broader audience. I find so much joy in getting to know the people behind the science to help them share their discoveries with heart and humor.
PATH TO SCIENCE
How did I become a scientist?
It all started with art and a mystery at the zoo...
Check out my story, "Discovering Curiosity: Art at the Zoo."
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