Mohamed Elgallad is a lab manager in the pre-PhD program at Louisiana State University, working in bioinformatics and plant genomics.
For his outreach project, Mohamed created a social media platform called “Ibisbythedelta”, featuring his own wildlife photography, with the goal of improving public understanding and appreciation of ecosystems by making ecological concepts more accessible and engaging. He reasons that many people interact with nature everyday but lack awareness of the species around them and their ecological importance, and through social media, can highlight native species and promote awareness of invasive species in a way that is both visually engaging and scientifically informative. His work is aimed towards anyone who is interested in learning more about nature, with a focus on residents of Louisiana and the southeastern US. Mohamed is able to highlight the scientific and cultural value of nature and ecosystems through wildlife and plant photography, using visual storytelling to highlight unique organisms. Some of Mohameds photography was also showcased in the LSU College of Science Biological Sciences Department LAGNiAppE program art exhibit.
You can check out more of his fantastic photography below, and follow along on his science communication journey here!
