Sean Perez: Science Enthusiast
We spotlight Sean Perez, a 2nd year Environmental Science, Policy, and Management PhD student in the Will Lab at UC Berkeley. Sean studies the underlying genetics of toxic chemical production in beetles, using the bombardier beetle as a model to study evolution. He collaborates with CRS on a variety of projects including Be a Scientist, BASIS, and BEST. Enjoy Sean’s story of passionately pursuing science and passing it along to the next generation.
January 2019
Sean Perez is a science enthusiast that is always excited to share his passion for biology with others. He enjoys the challenge of taking complex scientific topics, and distilling them down in a way that makes them both exciting and easy to understand. He believes inspiration is key to the learning process, in classroom settings and beyond.
Born in New York City, Sean was seldom exposed to the natural world and had little interest in science as a child. After taking an A.P. Biology course in high school, he was inspired to pursue biological research. As a result, he values education as a tool to both impart knowledge, and more importantly, inspire the next generation of future scientists, unlocking their vast potential.
Sean pursued a bachelor’s degree in Biology at SUNY Oneonta, New York. As an undergraduate researcher, he worked in Dr. Nancy Bachman’s lab investigating chemicals and genes that prevent the growth of cancerous tumors.
After college, he spent the next several years exploring the ecological side of biology by working at the National Ecological Observation Network (NEON). As a lead biological field technician, Sean took on a leadership role, showing others how to collect biological samples and navigate different environments, from the swamps of Alabama, to the mountains of Colorado. NEON inspired him to pursue graduate school, where he could combine his passions for field biology, genetics, and chemistry in research.
As a 2nd year UC Berkeley Environmental Science, Policy, and Management PhD student in the Will Lab, Sean researches the underlying genetics of toxic chemical production in beetles. He uses the bombardier beetle as a model to understand how these critters have evolved to produce their scorching, defensive spray.
Sean has taken full advantage of the fact that he studies a charismatic system, and uses bombardier beetle demonstrations as a way to get students excited about STEM. Fun fact: he just filmed a segment with Animal Planet about bombardier beetles. It will air in early 2019, so keep your eyes peeled! Sean began working with CRS his first semester at Berkeley, and enjoys the opportunity to engage a wide audience with science outreach.
In partnership with CRS, Sean has been an active member of “Be a Scientist” (BAS), in which he guides middle school students through self-designed experiment, and “Bay Area Scientists in Schools” (BASIS), where he teaches lesson plans to elementary school students. Sean’s BASIS Team teaches a lesson called “Adapting to Survive,” which teaches 3rd graders the role that the environment plays in adaptation and natural selection. This past summer, as a part of the “Building Elementary Science Teaching” (BEST) program, he designed an interactive 3rd grade lesson plan, using the bombardier beetle as a model for natural selection.
Sean firmly believes it is the duty of scientists to communicate with the public about their research, and to inspire the next generation. The science outreach programs part of CRS enable grad students like Sean to share their love for science across the broader bay area community. So whether he’s in the lab, in the field, rock climbing, or doing science outreach, you can bet Sean is actively thinking of the best way to inspire those around him!