SERVIR Profile of Rebekke Muench

Name: Rebekke Muench
Affiliation: NASA/SERVIR SCO
Role/Title: West Africa Regional Science Associate
Year you joined SERVIR: 2016

Please introduce yourself. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping others, whether in my backyard or halfway across the world. Everyone has strengths that they can contribute to make our world a better place - be it in science, math, art, or literature. I strive to do something every single day to help those around me.

What initially attracted you to this field of work?
In undergrad, I took my first remote sensing class and fell in love with the field; however, I felt conflicted between my love for remote sensing, desire to help people, and love for other cultures and languages. When I first heard about SERVIR - I knew it was exactly where I wanted to be. The ability to connect individuals around the world to innovative science and applications has been my dream since I was younger when I would be frustrated by the lack of overall scientific awareness and knowledge used in decision making processes.

What SERVIR activity are you currently working on?
From the Science Coordination Office, I am working on a few of our SERVIR partnerships such as Mercy Corps. Additionally, I have been supporting the groundwater and land cover services in West Africa.

How does your work generate positive change?
Through my work I'm able to be a part of a diverse team that is working towards making a difference in the world. We are constantly striving to find innovative approaches to address some of the biggest challenges in the regions we work. It takes a lot of heart, out-of-the-box thinking, and commitment to do what we do, which our global team as a whole embodies.