JKX Comics is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! Today we honor the outstanding work of Dr. Sandra M. Díaz, an ecologist from Argentina who is changing how we view biodiversity (the variety of wildlife, plants, and other lifeforms in a particular ecosystem). Dr. Díaz's work consisted of understanding how CO2 levels impact particular plants by examining the effects on the microorganisms within the soil. Her results provided insight on how soil organisms compete with plants for available nutrients and the impact on plant growth. This type of analysis provided a more global view on the impact of CO2 on our ecosystem which would be difficult to study by only examining the individual plant.
Dr. Díaz work is widely recognized in the ecology field and she is one of the most cited environmental scientists.She is the leader of @ipbes_ , an intergovernmental organization who assess the state of biodiversity in order to improve policy. Thank you Dr. Díaz for your amazing work and your efforts to improve the world around us.

Kathrin Barboza Márquez is a Bolivian researcher who studies the bio-acoustics of bats. She is best known for rediscovering (with her research partner) the Bolivian sword-nosed bat, that was thought to be extinct for 72 years! 🦇🦇
•
Kathrin has made substantial contributions to #STEM studying bats in many countries across Latin America. She made one of the first libraries of bat echolocation sounds in Bolivia, as well as the first comprehensive study on bat parasites.
•
Kathrin’s impressive research has earned her @natgeo Young Explorer Grant in 2006, the L’Oreal-UNESCO #WomenInScience award in 2012 (where she is the first Bolivian awarded), as well as being named top ten Latin American women in science in 2013 by the BBC.

Today, JKX Celebrates the remarkable contributions of Dr. Helen Rodriguez-Trias, a pediatrician who was pivotal in the women’s health movement. She advocated for women reproductive rights and fought against sterilization abuse.

Dr. Rodriguez-Trias earned her medical degree at the University Hospital of San Juan. She was exposed to the inequality of medical care provided to women and fought to address these issues. She established reproductive right guidelines and help create organizations to address these issues like the Committee to End Sterilization Abuse.

Dr. Rodriguez-Trias inspired the next-generation of female medical doctors and is recognized for her contributions in promoting equal healthcare. She is the first Latina president of the American Public Health Association and was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medial in 2001. Thank you Dr. Rodriguez-Trías for improving women’s healthcare around the world!