High Tide Film Festival
I serve as a judge for the annual High Tide Film Festival held by the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. Each year, over one hundred high school students plan, film, and produce short films about topics relating to aquatic life, sustainability, the ocean, and other aquarium-related science communication topics.
Evolution & Ecology Grad Preview Program
The Evolution & Ecology Graduate Preview Program is an annual month-long virtual program for people planning to apply to graduate school in evolution and ecology. The program pairs participants with current grad student mentors. We also provide participants with lectures, activities, and peer-networking opportunities.
Crabber CAP Program (CCAPP)
The Crabber CAP Program was a virtual college admissions preparatory program I founded in 2021. Through this program, high school student participants learn how to navigate the college admissions process successfully. Participants also receive modest college application scholarships to aid in applying to multiple schools. I ran this program for three years (2021-2023) and hope to revive it in the future.
Crabber CAP Program Informational Video
STEM Squad
STEM Squad is an after-school STEM program serving middle school students at local middle schools in northern California. Student participants get to participate in exciting biweekly after-school activities, and graduate student volunteers gain experience working with students. I served as an activity coordinator, which meant I was able to work with volunteer leaders in developing unique STEM-focused activities for the students to do. As an activity lead, I designed and taught a 45-minute science activity about how fish mouths work, which included each student crafting their very own paper fish with a fully articulating mouth. Of course, I also showed them high-speed videos of fishes eating things, which they agreed were all “super cool”.
Khalil Russell 