Why AUS?
Dr. Parra is originally from Colombia, where she obtained her bachelor's in marine biology at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogotá. She later earned her master's and doctorate from the Institute of Limnology and Marine Sciences at the National University of Mexico. Dr. Parra came to AUS for one month to participate in research on fish led by Dr. Ivonne Bejarano at the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. "We wanted to share our experiences, because I have some experience on this kind of research on fish. So we wanted to sum these two experiences to do it better," Dr. Parra said.
This is Dr. Parra's first time in the Middle East. So why did she choose to come to AUS specifically? "I met Dr. Bejarano years ago, so I just wanted to come here to share with her and learn more about the research that is going on here at AUS," she said. She says the people at AUS were very welcoming and accommodating when she arrived. "It was a really, really good time and I greatly enjoyed it, because from the first moment I arrived at AUS, the people here were really kind and they gave us all the things we needed," she said.
Research on Sharks
Dr. Parra told us about some of the experience that she brought to the research at AUS. "I did research on one island in Mexico that has a large population of white sharks," she said. "We went there to dive with the white sharks, and it's amazing because people have misunderstandings about sharks; they think it's dangerous to be with a shark, but it's really not. The 'problem' with sharks is that humans sometimes occupy their space, so the sharks fight for their place. When you are [diving] in the ocean, there are no lights, so you can't see if an area is the house of a shark. But they're not an especially aggressive species; they're just like any other wild species."
Why is she so passionate about studying sharks? "Well, sharks are amazing animals," she said. "They have lots of different forms and environments that they live in, but they are also extremely susceptible to fisheries or habitat destruction. The biology of some shark species are similar to mammals, not to fishes, so they live long and are very susceptible to environmental changes." Laughing, she adds, "And also because I like the danger! I have the opportunity to dive with them, and that's amazing."
Exploring the UAE
Although Dr. Parra only stayed in the UAE for one month, she got to experience and see much of what the country has to offer. "We tried to use our free time on the weekends to do all the things we wanted to do," she said. "We went to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and did a safari. My favorite place was the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi; it was amazing. And another thing I really enjoyed and liked was the culture. We're from South America, where there aren't many Muslim people, so being inside of this culture was really nice and we learned a lot. I feel like I wish I had maybe two more months here, but we need to go back because I'm here with my husband and kids. My husband is also a researcher and he was working with researchers here too."
Dr. Parra said she didn't experience culture shock when she came here. "Before we arrived we were reading and doing research about the culture, and Dr. Bejarano told me the [do's and don'ts], so we were prepared. When I saw the culture in front me, it wasn't shocking, but just different, and I hoped not to do anything to offend anyone. But people were very kind to us. Even when we went to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, we just had to wear a scarf and that's it. I liked it because I think it's beautiful that they preserve these cultural things, and I learned a lot about how things are done here."
What's Next?
Dr. Parra would love to return to the UAE and the Middle East in the future. "I really like the Middle East, so I would like to go to a different country in this region. I'd really like to go to Jordan; it's on my checklist! But I loved being in the UAE, so we are looking for an opportunity to maybe come back here for a longer time, maybe a year. We were talking with researchers here and trying to maintain this collaboration, so maybe in the future we can come back here and stay for a while."
As we wrap up the interview, Dr. Parra said, "This really was a wonderful experience. I don't have anything bad to say about it all." Even the weather? "Yes," she laughed, "because I live in Mexico, which is also a very hot place." She goes on to say, "I just want to thank everyone here because they made a great experience for me, and I really hope to come back in a year or so. There's a lot of things to do, and I really want to explore more places here."
Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist
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