Check Out Gabriel-Philip Santos’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriel-Philip Santos.

Gabriel-Philip, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Bellflower and raised in Cerritos, California. Growing up, my parents were super supportive of my love of science by taking me to places like the La Brea Tar Pits and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. They also helped inspire my love to science fiction, comics, and stories in general. My mom introduced me to Star Wars and my Grandpa would always share legends and folks tales from the Philippines. As I got older, my love of science especially when it comes to natural history really grew. Because of that, my family really encouraged me to go into Medicine. So I when it came time for college, I went to UC Irvine as a pre-med and got my degree in biological sciences.

By the end of my undergraduate time, I had taken the MCATs and started applying for medical schools, but I was also incredibly unhappy with the career choice I was pursuing (additionally, I was undiagnosed with a mental health disorder at the time). I didn’t find a lot of joy in what I was doing and missed the more natural history side of things. So instead of looking for a medical school, I stopped pursuing medicine and tried find a new passion for about two years along with working on recovering my mental health. After about two years, I went on a trip to New York for my birthday and visited the American Museum of Natural History. It was there I saw the giant Paraceratherium, a giant extinct rhino from Mongolia, and seeing that giant fossil exhibit, I was inspired to think about a career in museums.

About two weeks after getting home, I started volunteering at the Cooper Center in their paleontology lab. It was here that my love of museums, paleontology, and science education really started to grow. Within a year, the Cooper Center’s new curator, Dr. James Parham, was starting as a professor at Cal State Fullerton and looking for graduate students. I applied to work with him and started the graduate program in the geological sciences department. It was here that I started work learning the ins and outs of paleontology. I got the incredibly opportunity to work on a specimen of a Desmostylian, an extinct marine mammal that sort of looks like a hippo that lived in the ocean. This ended up being my first scientific publication! As I continued through my program, I started to work on an Eocene bonebed from San Clemente that contained fossils from when California was a rainforest about 42 million years ago.

All the while, I was started to do a lot more work on science communication, working to find better ways to share science with the public. I started to make science content online and make also made science videos from the Cooper Center YouTube channel. I was really starting to find my path and discover my passion for sharing science and storytelling. Within the first full year of my masters program, I really needed a job, and learned that the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology was hiring for a collections manager. Not really thinking I could get the job, I applied as practice, but by some incredible luck and skill, I was offered the job as the first Collections Manager for the museum. This was an incredible opportunity because the Alf Museum is the only accredited paleontological museum on a high school campus and the opportunity to work with high school students to teach museum science and paleontology really intrigued me.

So I started at the Alf Museum while also finishing my masters in geological sciences at CSUF. It was a lot of work, but I managed to pull it off, while also refocusing my career towards science education and communication. Working at the Alf Museum and also sharing my own science work really inspired me. After graduating, I eventually became the outreach coordinator of the Alf Museum and am now the Director of Visitor Engagement and Education at the museum.

Since making the shift towards science education, I have had many incredible opportunities to further my skills as a science storyteller and educator. I’ve been able to join the Institute for the Study of Mongolian dinosaurs to travel to the Gobi and do teacher workshops focusing on paleontology for local teachers. I became an National Geographic certified educator and eventually a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. This allowed me the incredible privilege to visit Antarctica onboard the National Geographic Explorer vessel to better my skills as a science storyteller. And most recently, I joined as a cohost of the hit digital series, PBS Eons, where I get to share stories of paleontology and deep time.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the major struggles for me has been with my mental health. I have Major Depressive Disorder and it often is something that makes things difficult to function. I have learned to live with it and work with my doctor to make sure my medications and health are taken care. Its been a difficult struggle some days, but thanks to some incredible support, I have continued to be successful despite what my brain says.

One other struggle that has been not made my career easy is being a Filipino-American in the field of paleontology. Growing up I didn’t have any role models to look up to in the science field. And once I decided to join paleontology, it definitely became evident that I was minority in the field. My first conference was incredibly difficult not seeing anyone like me and made me feel like I did not belong. Having experienced racism, micro aggressions, and also having my experiences and feelings dismissed my other professionals in the field have made me reconsider my decision on occassion. But thankfully I have some incredible supportive friends and mentors in the field who have allowed to succeed and thrive.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the Director of Visitor Engagement and Education at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. Its my job to develop and oversee the educational programming at the museum from events to social media content. My main project right now is called the Cosplay for Science Alliance. The group cofound by myself, Brittney Stoneburg, Michelle Barboza-Ramirez, and Isaac Magallanes. We are a group of scientists, educators, cosplayers, and science-minded nerds who develop science content for pop culture events. With members across the United States, we make themed pop-up museums, like the science of Pokemon or Star Wars, and host science themed panels. We also have developed some awesome science-themed nerd events with groups like IF/THEN, Star Warsologies, and institutions like Middlebury College. We also work to study how we can best use pop culture to teach science thanks to the lead of our research team, Dr. Lisa Lundgren. We have reached and engaged with thousands of people since starting in 2017 and have participated in major cons like San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con, and LA Comic Con.

In addition, I am one of the cohosts of PBS Eons, a digital series on YouTube and PBS app that shares stories about deep time and paleontology. I truly love being part of this incredible team of scientists and storytellers and is one my biggest accomplishments. It combine so many of my loves and interests and allows to provide free and accessible educational resources to audiences around the world.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I have learned is that there is no destined or defined path when it comes to life. There will always be branching paths and obstacles that will hinder or take you off course, sometimes for good or bad. I’ve learned that as long as I follow my likes and passions, it will lead me on the path that gives me the most happiest. Additionally, I’ve learned to be very selective of who I call a friend or mentor. Finding people who will support you at both highs and lows is so important in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://paleoparadox.carrd.co/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/paleoparadox
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFn4LZF37NBCjZ0BsAxQzNA