Five on Fridays: Estefanía Pihen González, Ph.D.

Today’s “5 on Fridays” comes from Estefanía Pihen González, Ph.D., the Chief of Education and Learning at California Academy of Sciences. We asked Dr. Pihen González the following questions to learn more about her work in nature-based, experiential, and community-centered education.

1. Who or what is a source of inspiration for you these days?

My daughter, Alegría. She’s almost four and, as a nature-loving family, we spend a lot of our free time outdoors, including the ocean. Watching her be amazed at the tiniest things she encounters, laughing at bugs, and hearing her questions are a reminder that the love for nature is in all of us. We are part of nature, but we can become detached from it, whether it’s because of how schooling is done, lack of access to nature where we live, or even due to family economics. Yet, we are born with a tacit and deep love for the natural world. Reconnecting us, rebuilding that bond, and reminding us how much we love nature is, in my opinion, what will save us.

2. What is a piece of advice or wisdom that you carry with you? Who gave it to you, and in what context?

I was born and raised in beautiful Costa Rica and had the privilege of spending a lot of time in jungles with local Indigenous people (and my family). When I was about six years old, I was hiking through a thick jungle with my parents and I was rushing. My dad held my hand and kindly said to me “remember what the owners of these jungles have told us—slow down, look at the green sky above you, listen to the jungle: what’s it telling you?” I carry this reminder with me up to this day, and share it with the many wonderful young people I work with (and learn from).

3. What new research in the world of prosocial education (SEL/character education/mindfulness/culture of care) are you excited about these days?

The field of transformative education! It’s an umbrella that includes environmental education, peace education, global citizenship education, and sustainability education. Hence, it is rooted in decades of rigorous research from all these other fields/types of education. Most importantly, transformative education enables four phases of learning to happen (in any order): how and what is causing an issue (for example, climate change); who is doing exciting work to tackle the issue (“hope in action”); how you and your community can take action around that issue; and why we are all part of the natural world.

4. How do you think that educators could be better supported in their work to integrate prosocial skills development and self-awareness in their classrooms and schools?

Official textbooks need to include content focused on the climate and biodiversity crises—content that features current work, solutions, and innovations from local to global (not doom-and-gloom content). Such textbooks would provide educators with lessons centered on what’s possible, and would feature information that is relevant to what students experience and are also worried about. This type of textbook would provide learning activities that organically would develop and foster skills like empathy, self-awareness, critical thinking, and a desire to think and act as members of a community (moving away from individualism).

5. What is something in the world that leaves you with a sense of awe or wonder?

The ocean. I’m an avid swimmer, free diver, and surfer, and there’s not one time after being in the ocean that I don’t leave with a profound sense of awe. Everything in the ocean makes me smile. It always surprises me.