Gemma and Ian chat to Samantha Falcucci. Samantha Falcucci is a technology professional in New York City, STEM mentor, and ocean and space exploration advocate. After studying Information Systems & Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin, she launched into a business-technology career and has worked at Microsoft for six years guiding enterprise customers through their unique digital transformations. She has fostered a passion for science all her life and is dedicated to hands-on scientific research and communication in both space and ocean related fields. She earned her Advanced Scuba certification at 17 and is passionate about diving and marine science. She is a citizen scientist volunteer recording microplastics presence at the Jersey Shore for the Plastic Wave Project and is a member of the NYC Sea Gypsies scuba club. In August 2021 she became a trained analog astronaut and helped lead a Mars simulation in the Mojave Desert with an international crew. She dedicates her passion for science to her late grandfather who was an entomologist and loved launching model rockets together. She strives to set an example as a citizen-scientist while advocating for diverse backgrounds needed in exploration. Her advice to aspiring conservationists is to find unconventional ways to study and care for the ocean regardless of your age or if it is directly related to your job and studies. She looks forward to sharing all of her upcoming space and ocean related experiences on her Instagram blog

https://www.instagram.com/seaspacesam/

https://sfalcucci.medium.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sfalcucci/

https://www.instagram.com/nycseagypsies/

https://www.ford.co.uk/vans-and-pickups/transit-custom/nugget

https://blueotwo.com/

ISSN Number 2752-6127

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