Biography: Marites has been teaching at Seattle Academy since 2020 and brings more than 13 years of experience teaching across different levels (primary school to undergraduate students). She holds a doctorate degree in geophysical sciences from the University of Chicago and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of California Santa Barbara with a minor in Earth Science. In addition to her broad scientific expertise, Marites is a strong advocate for DEIB initiatives and programming, including serving as the advisor for the Middle School Indigenous Affinity group. She integrates inclusive pedagogy practices into her curricula to build a classroom community where students can explore the multicultural history and global contexts of the discipline while acknowledging the imperialist framework of Western Science as they learn how to thrive on a changing planet.