In commemoration of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month we celebrate and highlight the scholarly achievements and contributions of UF Water Institute affiliated Latinx/Hispanic faculty, staff and students working to understand and solve interdisciplinary water issues.

Eva Maria Pabón

Eva Pabón is the UF/IFAS Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardeners Coordinator in Osceola County. In this role Eva teaches water conservation to Master Gardeners Volunteers, who after implementing changes in their gardens have made significant water savings. She also teaches Florida Friendly Landscaping in Spanish and English, helping residents to make better choices in their garden and conserve water. Eva contributes to the development of Water Wednesdays, a series of videos aimed at sharing information from UF/IFAS experts with Central Floridians on water conservation practices.

For her efforts to bring the Master Gardener program to people of all backgrounds Eva was recently awarded the Extension Master Gardener Coordinator National Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.

She is an active participant in the UF/IFAS Café Latino, a grassroot effort that aims to connect the Hispanic and Latino population in Florida with resources, education, and training provided by UF/IFAS Extension offices throughout the state.

Dr. Paloma Carton de Grammont

Dr. Paloma Carton de Grammont is a Water Institute Research Coordinator. In this role Dr. Carton de Grammont fosters partnerships with and among Water Institute Affiliate faculty, external partners, and stakeholders. She works with faculty and student teams to develop promising interdisciplinary water-related research, Extension and education programs and supports the development and implementation of outreach and stakeholder engagement programs. She currently supports the 2017 and 2019 Water Institute Graduate Fellow Cohorts, providing support to the interdisciplinary teams and aiding the development of integrative activities, outreach and communication efforts.

Dr. Carton de Grammont also serves as coordinator of the Carbonate Critical Zone Research Coordination Network, a NSF funded project that aims to further transdisciplinary and collaborative research to aid the understanding of carbonate-rich landscapes, and at the same time foster a diverse and inclusive research community, supporting the efforts to increase representation of diverse identities in the Geosciences. She is passionate about making the Water Institute and its programs more inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible and coordinates the Institute’s IDEA efforts.   

October 11, 2021