Cross-Border and Bilingual WUI Sub-region Showcases Work at Falling Walls Engage Hub México International Congress 2024

Jeanette Cobian-Iñiguez, PI of the Cross-Border and Bilingual WUI Sub-region, presented the team’s work at the Falling Walls Engage Hub México International Congress, held November 20–23 in Pachuca, Hidalgo, México. This prestigious event brought together professional science communicators, climate-focused journalists, and local government officials, fostering a rich exchange of ideas on scientific information dissemination and education across diverse languages and cultures. Attendance included participants from across Latin America, with selection for participation based on a competitive committee review. The sub-region’s presentation highlighted preliminary results from our study on Spanish-language wildfire communication, outreach, and educational materials available in California. During the presentation we also provided an overview of the sub-region’s mission and scope and that of the CFSC.

In addition to talks and workshops, the congress featured a K–12 science fair hosted by the CITNOVA Research Institute. This engaging event, led by congress presenters, reached a wide range of students, including those from low-income communities in Hidalgo, offering hands-on workshops and science demonstrations. Looking ahead, the sub-region anticipates exciting outcomes from this participation, including collaborations with Latin American researchers and environmental journalists. The first of these initiatives will be an online workshop focused on leveraging social media for science communication and education in Spanish.

Figure 1 – Attendees of the Falling Walls Engage Hub Mexico 2024 International Congress

Figure 2 – Cross-Border and Bilingual WUI PI Jeanette Cobian-Iñiguez presenting at the Falling Walls Engage Hub Mexico 2024 International Congress

Translating wildfire materials – A key initiative to include diverse communities.

Our team has made remarkable progress in translating vital wildfire-related materials from English to Spanish. These materials, which includes brochures, guides, and flyers, are crucial in reaching diverse communities with accurate and timely information on wildfire prevention, evacuation protocols, and safety measures. Through collaboration with bilingual experts/translators, we have ensured that the final products are not only linguistically accurate but culturally relevant to the communities we target.

The translation process involved rigorous rounds of reviews to guarantee consistency and quality. We started by identifying the most crucial materials in high-demand areas and then worked collaboratively with various organizations to create translations that maintain the integrity of the original content. We are proud to report that these translated materials were handed over to the respective organizations in digital formats.

Forming strategic partnerships to expand our impact.

A crucial aspect of our translation work has been the formation of new partnerships with organizations committed to community engagement and wildfire preparedness. Over the past few months, we have entered into collaborative agreements with several agencies focused on wildfire mitigation, resilience building, and disaster preparedness. These partnerships have been formed through series of thorough meetings where we discussed the shared goals of improving outreach and ensuring equitable access to resources for Spanish-speaking populations. By exchanging materials, insights, and expertise, we have been able to expand the scope and reach of our efforts. Each partner organization brings unique strengths to the table, and together, we are laying foundation for a more robust, community driven approach to wildfire education.

Growing team of dedicated volunteers

Our translation team has been steadily growing, and we are thrilled to see new volunteers joining us in our mission. The team now includes 13 undergraduate students as our language experts. Their contributions are crucial in ensuring that the translation process runs smoothly and that we meet our ambitious goals for material distribution.