Monthly Citizen Science lunch-and-learn on Sea turtle-friendly lighting to be held in Key Biscayne

This month’s Citizen Science project lunch and learn session will feature Sophia Brown of the Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program. She will be discussing the negative impact light pollution has on nesting sea turtles, sea turtle hatchlings, and other nocturnal animals in Key Biscayne. The event is catered by Milanezza and begins at noon on Thursday in the Island Room at the Key Biscayne Community Center.

The program and lunch are free for KBCC members and $5 for nonmembers. RSVP is required at the front desk or by calling (305) 365-8900. Brown, the Sea Turtle Conservation group’s Lighting Program Lead and Interpretive Programs Attendant, has been with the group since 2023. She dedicated herself to turtle conservation as a volunteer in Massachusetts, walking the beaches of Cape Cod and looking for stranded Kemp’s Ridley turtles.

Brown holds a Master’s in Marine Conservation from the University of Miami. In the early mornings, she can often be found surveying Key Biscayne’s beaches, excavating nests, and marking new hatches. The Key Biscayne Community Foundation created the Citizen Science Program to protect the area’s natural resources, educate the public, and provide hands-on opportunities to protect local ecosystems.