Gabriela Zayas Portfolio

GB ZAYAS DEL RIO female 1. A Puerto Rican with a global understanding 2. An “Environmental Urbaneer” a. An alumni from Environmental Studies ‘14, The New School 3. gabrielazayas7@gmail.com

CONTENT rur·ban /ˌrərˈbān/ noun

1. New definition: A place where both the urban and rural environments coexist and benefit from each other. synonyms happy-medium, sustainability, balance

R U R B A N

ecapitulation biquitous esearcher reak! rtistic etworker

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ECAPITULATION re·ca·pit·u·la·tion /ˌrēkəˌpiCHəˈlāSHən/ noun 1. An act or instance of summarizing and restating the main points of something. synonyms recap, précis, encapsulation Born and raised in a tropical island, I cannot be explained in just a few words. I am vivid, colorful, lively, happy, passionate, opportunist, hopeful, friendly, and most of all, loud. I am like my tropical island: I have a little bit of everything and the mixture turns out to be pretty complex. For that reason, I do not like just one thing; I like several ones. My life is a compilation of the different projects that I have decided to try and partake in. I have traveled in Puerto Rico and around the world doing community service. I then became an environmental activist in Puerto Rico, working to clean the beaches around the island and to improve the conditions of all types of mangroves. I found that, even though I was so passionate about so many different things, fighting for the protection of the environment seemed a great way to connect all those things I was passionate about.

I continue to be an environmentalist here in New York City, where I have learned about the pressing environmental and food problems that mainly low-income communities have to face. For this, I have worked to combat food deserts by finding ways to improve access to healthier and fresher food. I joined the nonprofit WHEDCo to ensure that women and their families have a safe place, with access to green space, in the South Bronx. Then, I moved on to be a farmer for the summer with Brooklyn Grange. I also worked with Corbin Hill Food Project, a farm share that distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income communities in the South Bronx and Harlem. My work is just a reinforcement of my beliefs. I believe that everyone should have access to a healthy, green environment, while also enjoying the benefits of living in a city.

I have found the way to combine social justice, the environment, planning, and design in what I study and do. It is here where my passions come together. I strive for a better world, one where people can be connected to nature and where cities become a more humane and livable place. I want to create cities that are more in tune with nature, where everywhere you go, you breathe creativity. I want people to be inspired by the urban and natural environments alike. I truly believe that the urban ecosystem and the natural ecosystem can coexist and I hope to assert this through my work.

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BIQUITOUS u·biq·ui·tous yo͞ oˈbikwətəs/ adjective 1. present, appearing, or found everywhere. synonyms universal, pervasive, omnipresent Traveling has allowed me to grow as an individual, both artistically and academically. It has also allowed me to experiment with photography, a practice that I have been doing now for several years. I attended The Art Institute of Boston during the summer of 2008 and took one digital photography class and one black & white film photography class. I have been able to test my skills while traveling, as well as try new ways to photograph people and places and to capture what words fail to.

Here, I share some of my pictures from my recent travel to Australia and Southeast Asia (January to July 2013). They reflect my love for people, the environment, and art. They are a reiteration of my global persona. I hope my work opens new opportunities to discover this world.

They talk for themselves and they talk for me, who I am and what I love the most.

1

Australia

2

Thailand

3

Cambodia

4

Vietnam

5

Laos

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Galah

Chillagoe, north Queensland This bird is very common all over Australia and is distinctive by its bright pink color

Chillagoe, north Queensland

One of the few oasis I found while traveling in the outbacks Covered in limestone, Chillagoe has one of the most diverse geologies in Australia

Golden Orb Spider

Daintree, north Queensland Females in this species may be up to ten times larger than males

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I became fascinated with all the types of animals and vegetation in Australia. I was surrounded by nature and its inhabitants all the time. There was nothing that I wanted to do more than photograph them up close. They were perfect. Even this skink, with part of its tail missing, captivated my attention and reminded me how passionate I am of protecting the environment. gabrielazayas7@gmail.com

From north to south, you breathe a rich culture, influenced by its tropical climate and Buddhism. Thailand stands tall in the midst of a post-colonized Southeast Asia.

grand palace, bangkok

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These monkeys were as fascinating as the largest religious monument in the world. Like humans with their newborns, the female monkeys would not lose sight of their young for a moment.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap

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Neak Pean Temple, Angkor Wat

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“They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat... You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful... And then, something happens, as you knew it would.

And nothing can ever be the same again.”

The Quiet American Hoi An

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Woman weaving in Sapa, northern Vietnman

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Laotians are the kindest and most humble people I have encountered. With their sensitivity and compassion, Laotians may hold the key to true happiness.

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Simplicity Beauty Forgiveness

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ESEARCHER re·searchˈer /ˌrēˈsûrchər/ noun 1. A person who studies (something) thoroughly so as to present in a detailed, accurate manner. synonyms explorer, experimenter, fieldworker

In this section, I will present my past research on different fields, those of urban ecology, food policy, and environmental science. These research projects required for me to investigate many topics, come up with an argument, and substantiate that argument with concrete examples and explanations. Most importantly, these projects allowed me to explore issues that I was very interested in. Though time consuming and intensive, researching is a very rewarding process. It is great to be able to present these final projects, which represent the culmination of many days of researching and brainstorming.

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Urban Ecology: A Water System Swamped with Problems: The Case of Sydney’s Water Contamination

Tropical Rainforest Studies: Comparison of forest recovery between two selective logging treatments: The case of an upland rainforest in north Queensland

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1 URBAN ECOSYSTEM A Water System Swamped with Problems: The Case of Sydney’s Water Contamination

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Cities are just starting to be considered and viewed as ecosystems. The relative new discipline, Urban Ecosystem, differs from conventional ecology as it studies cities like ecologists study the natural environment. In this course, I had to explore an urban ecological issue in any particular city. I chose Sydney since I would be studying abroad in Australia the following semester. I looked at Sydney’s water contamination problem. Water is primarily contaminated by stormwater runoff, a result of impervious surfaces in Sydney, and by agricultural pesticides from nearby farms in the suburbs.

MEDIA: Microsoft, Excel, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop COMPETENCIES: systems thinking, mapping, writing DURATION: 4 months

RESPONSIBILITIES: Though it was an individual project, the class ran various workshops to exchange ideas for formatting our papers and for designing our systems thinking maps. I was responsible for all stages in the process, from researching to writing and from mind mapping to designing. Yet, my peers and professor’s recommendations gave way to better finalized products.

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AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION IN GMRS

cox wollondilly warragamba dam

warragamba

ep ea n yN Ha wk es bu r

cordeaux

cataract

WATER

pesticides

vegetables

nepean

demand

rivers

vegetable supply

irrigation

City of Sydney urbanization

revenue policies

pesticide dumping

risk assessment local councils

city government policies biodiversity loss

stormwater runoff

CITY/GMRS

pesticide dumping

Farming

revenue

AGRICULTURE

urbanization

irrigation

farmers

avon

water supply

hawkesbury

Re gi o n

nepean dams

GMRS

rivers

wastewater

Example of systems mapping: Agricultural pollution from farming

Sydney Catchment Authority

WRITING SAMPLE CONCLUSION

In Context: Urban Ecology & Sydney

The traditional analysis of ecological issues relies on breaking down the individual pieces of what is being studied and then analyzing them separately (Meadows 2008). Taking a different approach, urban ecology analyzes the issue by stepping back in time and space. It employs systems thinking in order to explore how the issue being studied interacts with the other constituents of the system. The overriding goal is to integrate and connect all the interactions occurring within one or multiple systems. Urban ecology takes into account the entire whole, comprehending that the system is dependent on its components and that the same system causes its own behavior (Daniels & Walker 2001). Strategies proposed by the field of urban ecology tend to be complex, but they also allow for a comprehensive glimpse at the whole.

The proposed strategy in this paper looks at the multiple elements and their interrelationships within the water system. The strategy also encompasses other systems, such as the agricultural system, that substantially affect the water system. Instead of adapting a case-by-case approach, total water cycle management wants to slowly adapt a new integrative water system. The strategy is to recycle stormwater and wastewater, restore riparian zones, reduce chemicalization, and even improve soil conditions. Here, several elements are in play, but they are all taken into account at the same time in order to attain a lasting solution for the water contamination in Sydney’s waterways. Sydney needs to apply urban ecology’s principles, which are transdisciplinary, if it ever wants to suppress unrelenting urban ecological issues like those present in the water system.

By embracing the urban-rural relationship, urban ecology studies the systems of cities but does not end the study of ecology at the edge of the city (Odum 1975). The intention of this paper is to reflect this view of coupled systems that are constantly interacting and troubling each other. For that reason, this paper explores the water issue at the city scale, where stormwater runoff is the most pervasive cause of contamination, and at the metropolitan scale, where the biggest contribution to contamination is agricultural byproducts. Examining both scales allows for the study of the urban-rural relationship. It also allows for proposing strategies that bring social and biophysical systems together. If Sydney and the Greater Metropolitan Region of Sydney move toward total water cycle management, then they would finally be able to tackle stormwater runoff and agricultural pollution at the same time.

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2 TROPICAL RAINFOREST STUDIES Comparison of forest recovery between two selective logging treatments: The case of an upland rainforest in north Queensland

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: I directed my own research in two plots that had previously been selectively logged using two different treatments. I looked at the species and function composition between the seedling and the tree populations. With a group of nine people, I collected data for these two populations for two weeks in Far North Queensland. The plots belong now to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).

MEDIA: Microsoft, Excel, SOFA Statistics COMPETENCIES: writing, time management, organization, research, statistics, field work DURATION: 1 month

RESPONSIBILITIES: I was responsible on collecting data for the small tree population and later categorizing and analyzing all the data.

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WRITING SAMPLE ABSTRACT

Comparison of forest recovery between two selective logging treatments: The case of an upland rainforest in north Queensland

Due to a favorable climate and soils, tropical rainforests are suitable habitats for many rare species of high conservation value. This unique feature has subjected tropical rainforests to be more intensely logged than other ecosystems. The Wet Tropics of North Queensland have experienced this, especially, through selective logging.

In this process, commercially valuable species are harvested and, in many cases, non-target species are affected or poisoned to reduce competition with desirable species. Though selective logging has ceased after the Wet Tropics were declared a World Heritage Area in 1988, their effects are still present yet poorly studied in the area. In general, post-logged sites are seldom studied for long-term periods and usually only include analyzing the changes in species composition. In this study, I resort to comparing species composition and functional composition in the seedling and tree communities of two different logging sites in north Queensland. Species in both communities were identified and assigned to successional and functional groups. I hypothesize that species composition might differ between the two communities but that functional composition might be similar since enough time has passed for the logging sites to naturally recover. I found that the first logging site was dominated by pioneer species and that, contrastingly, the second logging site had more tertiary species. The first logging treatment had more similar communities, but the second logging treatment had more species with high conservation value and with the potential of sequestering more carbon. I did not find that selective logging had a significant effect on seedling or tree Îą diversity.

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REAK! bre·ak /brāk/ noun 1. A pause in work or during an activity or event. synonyms rest, intermission, breather

I don’t like to be selfish. Take a break from my work. Welcome to my sanctuary! It is very important for me to share with you where I go to relax, recharge batteries, indulge in deep thinking, and refresh my being. Hope you enjoy these images from Puerto Rico!

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RTISTIC ar·tis·tic ärˈtistik/ adjective

1. Having or revealing natural creative skill. synonyms inventive, expressive, imaginative

In my major, I have had the opportunity to expand many of my artistic skills. I have taken a wide variety of design classes, including sustainable crafting, design thinking, and material studies. Here, I present some of the work that I have done and that has reflected my growing understanding of how design can recreate a pathway toward sustainability.

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Material Impacts: Material’s process trees

Natural Dyeing: A wide variety of crafts

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scrap

oil extraction heat water

1 MATERIAL IMPACTS

scrap

PVC

solvents

PBT/PET

SYNTHETIC FIBER

gas emissions

suspending agents

MELTING

gas emissions

energy dibutyl phthalate

PLASTICIZER

gas emissions

energy

EXTRUSION

gas emissions

ADDITIVES

waste

heat

Process trees of material flows

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The following two projects are the culmination of assessing all the stages involved in a final material or product. For the first process tree (right figure), I did a life cycle assessment for a Barbie doll. In the second process tree, I visualized all the stages required to finalize porcelain. In order to do that, I had to look at the extraction, transportation, production, and packaging stages of which porcelain undergoes.

scrap polymer powder heat energy

scrap

ROTATION MOLDING

BLOW MOLDING

COOLING

COOLING

energy water

coal/chemicals water

electricity

water dyes

MEDIA: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign

DYES

gas emissions

HAIR ROOTING

waste

WATER/SOLVENT-BASED PAINT

VOCs

ASSEMBLY

COMPETENCIES: systems thinking, process tree, life cycle assessment

water dyes energy

DURATION: 2 weeks per project

FABRIC

scrap

PACKAGING

RESPONSIBILITIES: Both projects were completed along student Melissa Delihas. We designed both process trees together.

transportation energy water

scrap

extrusion heat

scrap

WIRING

CARDBOARD BOX

PLASTIC

deforestation

gas emissions

DISTRIBUTION

USAGE

DISPOSAL

LEGEND raw materials manufacturing process

Barbie doll life cycle assessment

assemby process packaging process distribution usage & end life

toxic off-gas

REUSE

DONATION/GIVE AWAY

OUTPUTS

INPUTS

greenhouse gas air contaminants

fossil fuels energy

electricity heat

MINING

MANUFACTURING

TRANSPORTATION

pollution waste

water

water

CRUSHING AND GRINDING CLEANING AND MIXING DRY

WET

FORMING BODY MANUAL MOLDING

STIFF PLASTIC FORMING

PRESSING

SLIP CASTING

BISQUE FIRING GLAZING

FIRING

PORCELAIN porcelain process tree

PACKAGING

TRANSPORTATION

WASTE/RECYCLE

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2 NATURAL DYEING A sustainable way of crafting

step 1 simmer plant material for 40-50 min use as much plant material as possible

step 2 check color and mix additives (e.g. iron; tartaric acid; allum) to achieve desired color

step 3 rinse dye bath while simmering fiber in the meantime

step 4 simmer fiber in the dye bath for 20-40 min and let it dry the next day

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Natural dyeing is a long process but informs you on what is needed in order to make a lasting natural dye. I wanted earth-tone colors and achieved them by playing with the amount of additives and plant material. I later spun the wool and made scarfs and other final products.

MATERIALS: flowers: coxcomb & lavender; additives: allum, iron & tartaric acid; fiber: wool

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STUDY 1: RESIST DYEING WITH RED ONION SKIN DYE

STUDY 2: RESIST DYEING WITH RED POTATO & YUCA SKIN DYES

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STUDY 3: FINAL PRODUCTS AFTER SPINNING

LAVENDER DYE

RED ONION RED POTATO YUCA DYE

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ETWORKER

net·workˈer ˈnetˌwərkˈər/ adjective

1. A person that interacts with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, especially to further one’s career. synonyms social, seeker, forthcoming

A big part of who I am is reflected on the types of internships I have worked throughout my college years. They have given me a platform to put what I have learned in class into practice. They all revolve around food and the environment, as I strive to eliminate injustices by tackling the most pervasive issues in cities like New York.

1 2 3

Whedco Brooklyn Grange

Corbin Hill Road Farm

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1 WHEDCO Assisted in survey design and administration of youth and women programs Performed literature reviews on latest quantitative and qualitative research Conducted research on specific curriculum topics as well as client interviews

2 BROOKLYN GRANGE Received basic training in organic farming practices to run a small farm Identified diseases, pests, and farm tasks in order to keep the organic farm running Organized daily tasks, such as seeding, weeding, harvesting, trellising, and tilling beds Worked at farm stands and markets, as well as food events, developing market and sales skills

3 CORBIN HILL ROAD FARM Distributed fruits and vegetables from a network of local farmers in Schoharie County to Harlem and Lower Manhattan Resolved problems with shareholders at the moment of pick-up and assisted them with items and payments Recruited new shareholders and strengthened connections with existing ones Collected information regarding shareholders’ experience, tastes, and preferences and instructed them in urban food systems and events related to food justice

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G3 GB ZAYAS DEL RIO female 1. A Puerto Rican with a global understanding 2. An “Environmental Urbaneer” a. An alumni from Environmental Studies ‘14, The New School 3. gabrielazayas7@gmail.com