UC grad finds inspiration in the Amazon and its community

Environmental challenges are becoming increasingly common. In the summer of 2024 alone, California wildfires forced tens of thousands to evacuate, while parts of Florida were still reeling from severe flooding as a result of record rainfall. The Amazon — a key player in global climate stability  — faces its own set of challenges, with deforestation threatening to tip the balance. 

Mann’s journey led her to a study abroad experience in the Amazon. Mann, who had never been out of the country before, got to share the experience with other students and staff who shared her interests.    

 These experiences can shape a career path for undergraduate students. The group went on excursions, and these adventures showed Mann a new part of the world, one that doesn’t operate like the United States.   

"People in Brazil are way more connected with their environments and with the ecosystem. They have a lot more laws protecting it, and many citizens care about protecting it. A lot of villages were doing different wildlife rehabilitation stuff like that, and just comparing that to back home, there's not that much,” Mann said.

“It made me want to be a bigger advocate for the environment and help people become more passionate about protecting it.”   

 Seeing how different parts of the world operated made Mann think about how much of an effect there was between where she was visiting and where she lived.   

“Every student had to create their own personal project that had an aspect of the trip. I did my project on light pollution and how different environments, like Cincinnati, compare to the Amazon," she said.

“I made a time-lapse video of the night in different locations in and around the Amazon and Cincinnati and presented it in a slideshow. What I found was that the problem with light pollution is that it’s not just near the cities here, but it also carries the light to the wild parts of Ohio.”   

After college, Mann accepted a position as an environmental technician. In this role, she is focused on learning how to prevent the degradation of the environment. By targeting threats like invasive plants and bugs, Mann works to keep environments safe while also improving their function.    

 “We work on researching different threats and techniques that are safe to get rid of different invasive plants, and we have a team that does research on things that are invading and finding out how to best eliminate those as well. We also do stream creations. Like, if there's a wetland that needs to be put in an old agricultural field, we do engineering work and create a stream like a natural stream,” Mann explained.   

 “It's contracting work. Whenever government agencies or other businesses want something done, they hire us for that, so I see all different types of projects.”   

 While this work helps Mann see the physical side of environmental conservation, she plans to join the team that researches new ways to save the world.   

 “I plan on getting my Master’s to get a job that's more focused on research and less on labor, but it's good to get the experience and learn how it's actually done to restore ecosystems.”   

Featured image at top: UC environmental studies grad Aaliyah Mann with fellow students in the Amazon. Photo/Provided