Sonia Pena

Sonia Pena is pursuing a Master's of Science degree in Environmental Studies at San Jose State University. Her research will focus on the ecological and socio-economic impacts of shrimp aquaculture activities in the mangroves of Nicaragua. Mangrove ecosystems provide important direct and indirect benefits and this case study will supply local communities and key players with an interdisciplinary analysis of the consequences associated with this coastal development scheme. Pena's interest in Environmental Studies flourished while an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, where she completed her Bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1997. She volunteers with the Pesticide Action Network and because of this experience, has decided to follow a career working in the non-profit sector.