Viridiana Orona, a 2021 Mosaics in Science intern, will be working on a pollinator project at Saguaro National Park in Arizona. Mosaics in Science is a diversity internship program and partnership of Environment for the Americas that gives opportunities for young adults to learn from and work alongside the National Park Service.
As the Biology Monitoring Assistant, Viridiana will be studying how cactus blooms are influenced by changes in phenology. She will also conduct wildlife monitoring, focusing on pollinators. Several species of hummingbirds are found in Arizona, including the Lucifer Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, and Costa’s Hummingbird – all of which are listed as Birds of Conservation concern. Viridiana’s work this year will help Saguaro develop plans for their pollinators, while also documenting changes in phenology. You can read more about Viridiana’s work this year on her intern blog.
Check out her introduction video below!
