Area of Study: Circular economy

Darwin Leader Laya Pothunuri journeys to the Galápagos Islands to investigate how two major waste streams — plastic pollution and fish by-products — are being transformed into circular solutions for island resilience. Partnering with Conservation International Galápagos, she joins local women-led efforts to convert fish waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer for local farms. Working alongside farmers, fishers, and innovators like Carolina Proaño, who recycles marine plastic into useful products, Laya explores how technical interventions, community collaboration, and Indigenous knowledge intersect. Her project shows how the iconic Galápagos — a symbol of evolutionary science — is once again teaching the world about interconnectedness and ingenuity. Through hands-on work in silage production and irrigation design, she discovers that lasting impact depends not just on clever solutions, but on trust, training, and local empowerment.