Galápagos

What the islands taught me about belonging

There is something special about walking on the same path Charles Darwin once did. Exploring, observing, and listening to what nature has to say. Here he developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. The Galápagos is more than just beautiful beaches and breathtaking wildlife, although having sea lions lying around while you walk to a conference is a pretty special thing to witness.

This place is a perfect example that nature and humans can coexist, and that community is at the heart of it all.

Galápagos is a protected area, meaning travel there is tightly controlled, from biological checks to strict limits on the number of people entering the islands each week. Once inside, exploring the islands is also strictly regulated, and most of the time you need a naturalist guide. They are not just tourist guides; they have a deep respect for this place and know how rare and special it is. The respect for the environment and the sense of community at this level is something I had never experienced before. People care for and help one another, and have a deep respect for nature. They understand something we seem to have forgotten.

We are one with nature; we don’t own it, but we are part of it, as any other species. All I had to do was listen and observe as the island tried to teach me this invaluable lesson.

I came to the Galápagos for a very special scientific conference. Scientists around the world come together to discuss nanoscience with students from Ecuador. The goal is to foster collaborations and raise awareness among local schools and younger kids that scientific careers are possible, regardless of where you come from.

I never really thought of myself as a role model, a notion that has been changing over the past few years as I have taken on more mentoring roles. During this conference, I was very aware that the students were looking up to me, asking questions not only about the science I develop but also about my academic career. The steps and decisions I made to become a scientist in a top-tier institute in Switzerland, coming from South America and a relatively small school in Brazil.

Talking to these students reminded me of myself when I started. Full of dreams but never really believing I could get where I am today. Somehow it felt like closing a cycle, one that began 20 years ago when I first started studying chemistry at university. And how special that this should happen in a place with so much meaning to science.

I will never forget my time in this little piece of the world, lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I leave the Galápagos full of gratitude. Gratitude for the nature and community I experienced during my time there. Gratitude for the people who dedicate their lives to protect that place. Gratitude to my fellow scientists who traveled so far, gave their time to young scientists, and fueled their dreams.

The island tried to teach me that I am part of nature, and as part of it, it is my duty to protect it. And I tried to give it back by showing these young, curious minds that they belong in the scientific space and that dreams are worth pursuing, even when we don’t fully believe in them at first.

And if there is something we can learn from the father of evolution, it is that we are one with nature, and that we belong here. The most natural process on Earth has shown us that much.

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