Camille S. Delavaux

My motivating passion is to understand tropical forest diversity and ecology. As a Master’s of Environmental Science Candidate at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, I study microbial contributions to the astounding plant diversity found in tropical ecosystems, specifically in Ecuador. My work is extremely quantitative and data driven; nonetheless, cultural understanding, communication, and language are indispensable to me, and also to my research’s success. While at Lehigh University, I completed a B.S. in Environmental Science, a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, a minor in Environmental Studies, and a minor in Latin American Studies. Pairing my science degrees with these culture and language focused studies –as well as studying abroad several times– marvelously changed how I view the world. In order to conduct meaningful research, both professionally and personally, understanding the perspectives, history, and culture of those with whom I work is necessary and fulfilling. Latin American Studies at Lehigh provided me with an excellent opportunity to connect my many interests!

Summer 2014; Internship with Acción Ecológica, a local NGO in Ecuador.

Left: A farm owner from Pacayacu, Ecuador, showing her farm near a petroleum contaminated river.

Right: Camille S. Delavaux sampling Theobroma cacao for Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Analysis.