By: Sarah Ellingson

SFS HQ
Posted: August 14, 2024
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Staff Post

Camila Rojas: Alumni Spotlight⭐

Panama

We are thrilled to celebrate the academic journey of Camila Rojas, an alumna of our Tropical Island Biodiversity Studies semester program in Panama, who has made notable strides in the field of environmental policy and socioeconomic values.

In the spring of 2018, Camila joined SFS in Panama for a study abroad program that significantly influenced her career path. Under the mentorship of Dr. Leon Mach, our Associate Professor in Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values, she undertook a Directed Research project that laid the foundation for her future research.

Camila in the field at Cumberland Gap National Historic Site.

Together, Camila and Dr. Mach recently published her group’s Directed Research project in the academic journal Tourism Management. This study explored stakeholder perspectives on governance in marine protected areas, emphasizing the need for local stakeholder involvement in decision-making processes.

They also had the opportunity to present their findings at the National Environment and Recreation Research Conference, showcasing their impactful work.

The North Eastern Recreation Research Symposium featured undergraduate research conducted at SFS by Carly Winner, Camila Rojas, Melanie Klemond, and Dr. Leon Mach.

Camila’s academic journey continued as she pursued a Master of Science from the University of Georgia’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Program at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

With Dr. Mach serving on her committee, they once again collaborated to publish her master’s research in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. This qualitative case study explored the impact of protected area expansion on the Ngöbe Indigenous community of Salt Creek in Panama. Their findings suggest that repairing social capital is vital for achieving sustainable tourism and better aligning with the ethos of collaborative governance.

Early presentation of the thesis project: Potential Protected Area Expansion in Bastimentos Marine Park: Local Perspectives.

Apart from her academic endeavors, Camila is one of the founders and the coordinator of ALTUS (Alianza Latinoamericana de Turismo Sostenible), a community-based tourism initiative championed by the Inter-American Foundation. This network involves community-based tourism organizations in 12 Latin American countries and aims to promote knowledge, experience sharing, and capacity building for rural communities engaged in tourism. She also works as a contractor in a socio-economic monitoring data collection effort for the National Park Service in the United States. 

a woman with a large camera
Camila is in the field at Fort Donelson National Battlefield collecting Socio-Economic Visitor use data with Gaia Environmental Consulting for the National Park Service.
Camila at Fundación Agua y Tierra in Mata Oscura, Panama during a honey-making (caña) tour during the first Latin American Community-Based Tourism Encuentro of IAF Grantees in January 2023.
(From left to right) Organizers of the first Latin American Community-Based Tourism Encuentro of IAF Grantees: Jacinto Rodríguez (Fundación Agua y Tierra, Panama), Camila Rojas (Mexico), Eli Carrión (Red de Turismo Pakariñan, Ecuador), Marlon Calderón (Viva Atitlan, Guatemala), and Francisco Rincón-Gallardo (Fondo Oaxaqueño para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, México).

We are especially proud to share that Camila will be returning to Bocas del Toro, where her journey with us began, as a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute fellow. She will conduct vital research on community perceptions of how erosion and sea-level rise impact their lives, a project that promises to bring significant insights and potential solutions to these pressing issues.

Camila’s story is a testament to the dedication of our faculty in mentoring students, both during and after their time with us. Her achievements inspire us all, and we look forward to following her continued success.

Camila was the Community Outreach Coordinator at Caño Palma Biological Station, Costa Rica, on a bird monitoring field trip with students from the town of San Francisco, Tortuguero.
Camila enjoying her time in New Mexico during off hours from fieldwork.

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