The Open Notebook‘s Latin American Advisory Group is a group of journalists who have made themselves available to offer guidance to our writers, upon request, when they are seeking Latin American sources and angles for TON stories. Members of this paid advisory group currently include:
Federico Kukso (Argentina)
Mariana Lenharo (Brazil)
Andrea Obaid (Chile)
María de los Ángeles Orfila (Uruguay)
Angela Posada-Swafford (Colombia and USA)
Emiliano Rodríguez Mega (Mexico)
Valeria Román (Argentina)
Michelle Soto (Costa Rica)
Background
Our Latin American Advisory Group was formed in 2023, in an effort to further diversify sources and angles for TON stories. The advisory group is one of several initiatives at TON designed to support journalists who cover (or want to cover) science from the Global South, including TON en Español, our International Students Slack Community, and our Ad-Hoc Mentoring Programs for Journalists from the Global South.
Member Bios
Learn more about each member of this advisory group in English, Spanish, or Portuguese below.
Federico Kukso is an independent science journalist from Argentina specializing in the history of sciences, with studies at Harvard University and MIT. He is a former Knight Science Journalism Program Fellow at MIT and served on the board of directors of the World Federation of Science Journalists from 2017 to 2023. He is the author of six books, covering topics ranging from the cultural and global history of smell to the political history of fruits and the paleontological wealth of South America.
Federico Kukso es un periodista de ciencia independiente especializado en historia de las ciencias, con estudios en la Universidad de Harvard y en el MIT. En 2015, fue becario del Knight Science Journalism Program del MIT y fue miembro de la comisión directiva de la Federación Mundial de Periodistas de Ciencia entre 2017 y 2023. Es autor de seis libros, que van de temas como la historia cultural del olor a la historia política de las frutas y la riqueza paleontológica de América del Sur.
Mariana Lenharo is a Brazilian journalist based in the New York area. She is a life sciences reporter at Nature, covering infectious diseases, drug development, AI in health, and consciousness research, among other topics.
Mariana Lenharo é uma jornalista brasileira baseada na região de Nova York. Ela é repórter de ciências da vida na Nature, cobrindo doenças infecciosas, desenvolvimento de medicamentos, IA na saúde, e pesquisa sobre consciência, entre outros assuntos.
Andrea Obaid Carrión is a science journalist and radio and television host who lives in Santiago, Chile. She has 20 years of experience creating multi-platform projects in science, technology and the environment, such as television series, radio programs, podcasts, books, applications and photography exhibitions. Her main areas of interest are astronomy, science in the kitchen and scientific tourism.
Andrea Obaid Carrión es una periodista científica y conductora de radio y televisión que vive en Santiago de Chile. Tiene 20 años de experiencia realizando proyectos multiplataformas en ciencia, tecnología y medioambiente como series de televisión, programas de radio, podcast, libros, aplicaciones y exposiciones fotográficas. Sus principales temas de interés son la astronomía, la ciencia en la cocina y el turismo científico.
María Orfila is a science journalist based in Montevideo, Uruguay. Her work covers conservation topics, climate change, biology, paleontology, and astronomy, with a strong focus on breaking news and in-depth reporting.
María Orfila es una periodista científica radicada en Montevideo, Uruguay. Su trabajo abarca temas de conservación, cambio climático, biología, paleontología y astronomía, con un enfoque en cobertura de noticias y reportajes en profundidad.
Angela Posada-Swafford is a science journalist hailing from Miami Beach and Colombia. A member of The Explorers Club, she loves field reporting during scientific expeditions, where she inspires young and old in the art of exploration.
Angela Posada-Swafford es una periodista científica basada en Miami Beach y Colombia. Miembro de The Explorers Club, ama reportar desde el terreno durante las expediciones científicas, para inspirar a todos con el arte de la exploración.
Emiliano Rodríguez Mega is a reporter and researcher for The New York Times based in Mexico City. Once exclusively focused on science coverage, he now writes about everything in the region ranging from violence and elections to migration and the environment—and perhaps the occasional science-related story when he finds the time.
Emiliano Rodríguez Mega es un reportero e investigador para The New York Times con sede en Ciudad de México. Durante mucho tiempo se enfocó exclusivamente a cubrir ciencia, pero ahora escribe de todo en la región: desde violencia y elecciones hasta migración y el medio ambiente —y quizá, cuando tiene tiempo, alguna historia de ciencia ocasional—.
Valeria Román is a science journalist from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She loves to report on the intersection between public health and the environment with a bioethical perspective. She is learning rock-and-roll dancing.
Valeria Román es una periodista científica de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Le encanta informar sobre la intersección entre la salud pública y el ambiente con una perspectiva desde la bioética. Aprende a bailar rock and roll.
Michelle Soto is a science journalist living in Costa Rica. She loves reporting at the intersection of environment and science, and enjoys reading, traveling, and walking in nature.
Michelle Soto es periodista científica y vive en Costa Rica. Le encanta informar sobre la intersección entre medio ambiente y ciencia, y disfruta leyendo, viajando y paseando en la naturaleza.