When Amber Ortiz Hernandez was growing up, the closest beach was Rockaway Beach in Queens. Her family, who lived in Brooklyn, New York, would make the trip only in the middle of summer when it was hot enough to make the 40-to-50-minute drive worth it.

But that didn’t stop the University of Delaware sophomore from falling in love with marine science and developing a deep appreciation for nature. 

Instead of trips to the beach, Ortiz Hernandez’s mother would take her to the local library every Friday so she could check out the latest National Geographic magazines. Eventually, her mom got Ortiz Hernandez a subscription to the magazine. It was through these magazines, as well as nature shows on Animal Planet and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), that Ortiz Hernandez was first introduced to environments halfway around the world. 

“I would sit in our living room and flip through the pages or the channels and see animals that were, to me, in such exotic environments that were halfway across the world,” she said. “I would read about scientists doing crazy stuff, and I could see myself doing that. I would say, ‘I’m going to be that person one day. I don’t know how, but eventually, that’s going to be me.’” 

At UD, Ortiz Hernandez is a World Scholar majoring in marine science with a concentration in marine biology and pursuing a minor in energy and environmental policy. 

Her interest in marine science continues to evolve as she moves through her time at the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment. When she first arrived at UD, she knew that she wanted to concentrate on marine science within the environmental science field, but it’s taken some time to figure out exactly what she wants to focus on within marine science. 

Next year, she hopes to study at the Lewes campus as part of the Semester in Residence Program and work on shark research with Aaron Carlisle, an assistant professor in the School of Marine Science and Policy. 

“When it comes down to what I want to study in marine science, I’m narrowing it down to ecology, biology or physiology,” Ortiz Hernandez said. “Sharks are something of a new interest for me. It came a little bit before I decided to reach out to Aaron Carlisle and talk to him about the topic. But while it’s relatively new, it comes from the resources I’ve gotten on the UD campus.” 

In addition to her environmental education inside the classroom, she is also involved as a support team member of the Movement Working Group Committee of the United States Youth Advisory Council for the United Nations Ocean Decade, a program of Heirs To Our Ocean (H2OO), an international youth-led nonprofit dedicated to the education, connection and empowerment of youth globally in ocean and water protection, climate action and eco-justice.

Ortiz Hernandez has been working with the organization for almost five years. In March, she traveled to Washington, D.C., with the policy working group for Hill Days, during which the cohort engaged with more than 70 members of Congress at Capitol Hill. 

“Our purpose was to advocate for the passage of five crucial bills, focused on environmental conservation, sustainable development, safeguarding water ecosystems, and addressing the 10 challenges of the U.N. Ocean Decade,” Ortiz Hernandez said. “We shared our visions for a more sustainable future and emphasized the importance of passing these legislative measures.” 

Ortiz Hernandez said it was great to have the opportunity to speak with the legislators because they got to hear directly from America’s youth, which, along with giving voice to historically marginalized communities, is one of the priorities of H2OO. 

“There are a lot of instances where as youth, we’re not allowed to speak or be involved in these spaces, and that’s one reason why the Youth Advisory Council was created, so that youth can get into these rooms where adults are making decisions for us without any input from us,” Ortiz Hernandez said. “It sort of implies that youth are not here because we’re not smart enough to be here, or we don’t know enough to be here, and that’s just not true. The Youth Advisory Council’s purpose is to bring youth to the front and bring them to the table so they can hear what’s going on and have a voice in what’s happening.”