The new Wonder Woman movie released last week has sparked (appropriately) an outpouring of excitement and support, outlining and reinforcing how necessary it is to have women represented in media and, perhaps most importantly, portrayed as capable of anything and as successful in any profession (or super-profession). As in the case of Dr. Jane Goodall, not all superheroes wear capes (or armored bodices/bullet deflecting arm cuffs). However, while we find new heights in representation through film, we are still struggling in other realms: particularly with women in STEM. Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) states, “It is our sacred duty to defend the…
Author: Sophia Morong
Sophia Morong
Sophia Morong is currently an intern for Community Engagement at the Jane Goodall Institute. She is a student at the George Washington University, intending to receive a B.A. in Anthropology with a minor in Biological Anthropology. Her previous work as a camp counselor/teacher at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History allowed Sophia to bring her love of animals and the environment to the children she worked with daily. Along with her summer students, Sophia strives to encourage all to respect the earth and all of her wildlife companions. Sophia's commitment to conservation and the welfare of wildlife began at a young age and continues to grow as more people join the mission to help take care of the earth.
Life on earth is dwindling. Scientists predict the loss of 30% to 50% of all Earth’s species by 2050 (Biological Diversity). It may seem as though there is nothing to be done, or as some argue, there is a natural loss which we must accept. But as science has informed us; this is no normal loss of life, and there is always hope. On April 14, 2017, a Global Deal for Nature was proposed by a group of scientists and researchers, in order to protect the biodiversity of life on Earth. The Global Deal for Nature aims to work in…
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Last year marked a number of setbacks for conservation, though there were also a great number of successes! While we should stay ever vigilant in regards to the challenges to conservation, it is always in our best interest to look for the signs of hope – those happy victories which keep us going and believing in what we can accomplish. This is the story of a massive success: the creation of a protected area in the Congo Basin with a “landscape larger than Long, Island, New York”! (WCS) This past Thursday, the Provincial Minister in charge of Planning, Environment, and…
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For decades, chimpanzees have been put in the spotlight for their renowned intelligence and close genetics that nearly match our own (we share a common ancestor). Since it was discovered in 1960 by Dr. Jane Goodall that chimpanzees can make and use tools (read more about Dr. Goodall’s discoveries here), our understanding of them has revolutionized not only the way we study these apes, but also the way we view the human species and other non-human animals. As time goes by, deforestation, poaching, and disease threaten the lives of the endangered chimpanzees. It demands a response from us all to conserve…
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Black History Month is about honoring individuals and movements driven by the culture, voice, struggles, accomplishments and identity of African Americans in the United States, as well as other multi-racial groups often overlooked in the mainstream, or in their respective fields. As we look forward, celebrating Black futures, it is important to acknowledge the African American people who have advanced and innovated in the fields of conservation, environmentalism, activism, and science. This list is by no means a comprehensive one, but rather a short list that highlights the impressive and amazing African American leaders, conservationists, and scientists from the past to…
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The movie Hidden Figures, released during the 2016 holiday season, beautifully details the real lives of three extraordinary and bold African American women and their contributions to science in 1961: Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson. Despite all they accomplished, their stories have been largely ignored for far too long. These women defied societal norms of the time and proved to the world that women of color should never be underestimated, are capable and brilliant, and helped revolutionize computer programming, engineering, mathematics, and physics. In addition to their kindness and friendship, their hard work, determination and grit helped…
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Have you ever wondered what your phone was made of or how those materials were collected? Well, turns out there’s a lot more to that story than you may have thought. On January 24, 2017, the Jane Goodall Institute will hold a Call to Action, dedicated to the international recycling of mobile phones. Why set aside a day for recycling mobile phones, you might ask? Or, more importantly, why do we need to recycle mobile phones? In 2014, Time magazine released an article focusing on the significance of where the materials for our technology originate. If you’re thinking about the…
