Science Panel for the Amazon Welcomes New Youth Advisory Committee Members for 2026–2028
The Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) welcomes eight new members to its Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) for the 2026–2028 period. Launched in September 2024, the YAC brings together young people from across the Amazon region to strengthen youth participation in the Panel’s work, broaden awareness of its scientific findings, and foster collaboration between the SPA and youth organizations.
Building on the achievements of its first cohort, the new members bring expertise and experience spanning scientific research, conservation, Indigenous rights and knowledge, climate justice, and community engagement. Over the next two years, the committee will continue working across three strategic areas: knowledge sharing, science communication, and representation and networking. Planned initiatives include webinars on the SPA’s Amazon Assessment Report 2025, youth mentorship activities, potential new podcast and social media content, and opportunities for young people to contribute to the Panel’s research agenda.
Meet the new members of the SPA Youth Advisory Committee:
Alix de Thoisy
Alix de Thoisy is a French Guianese public health engineer and medical student whose work connects human health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. He holds a master’s degree in Bioinformatics from Université Paris-Cité and is pursuing medical studies at Université Grenoble-Alpes. His research focuses on infectious disease modelling and transboundary epidemiology, while his youth advocacy includes climate initiatives in French Guiana and participation in the development of the Amazon Youth Manifesto.
Bruno Rafael Marques
Bruno Rafael Marques is a Brazilian ecologist and PhD candidate at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). His research explores socio-ecological systems and environmental governance, with a focus on quilombola communities in the eastern Amazon. Through work on participatory environmental monitoring and ecosystem services, he examines the role of local communities in environmental management and the relationships between people and ecosystems.
José Gudiño
José Gudiño is a Venezuelan Indigenous rights advocate involved in regional and international Indigenous youth networks. He coordinates work on environment, territory, and climate change at the Amazonas Indigenous Adolescents and Youth Network (RAJIA) and serves as Youth Coordinator at the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Amazonas (ORPIA). His work promotes Indigenous rights and community-led approaches to sustainable development grounded in the Indigenous concept of Buen Vivir.
Luene Karipuna
Luene Karipuna is a young Indigenous leader from the Karipuna people of the Uaçá Indigenous Territory in Amapá, Brazil. She studies Indigenous Intercultural Education at the Federal University of Amapá and serves as Executive Coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Amapá and Northern Pará (APOIANP). Her work focuses on Indigenous youth and women’s leadership, territorial protection, Indigenous communications, and the defense of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
Luz Angélica Pisarro Gasca
Luz Angélica Pisarro Gasca is a young Indigenous leader from the Koreguaje (Bajū Pai) people of Caquetá, Colombia. Her work centers on Indigenous youth leadership, environmental education, and the intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge. She is a local researcher and seed guardian working with the Tropenbos Colombia Foundation, an Indigenous and intercultural education facilitator, and a member of the international Amazon Youth Network, Youth It or Lose It.
Lydia Roberts
Lydia Roberts is a Guyanese environmental professional working at the intersection of conservation, science communication, and youth empowerment. She holds a diploma in Communications from the University of Guyana and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology. At the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development, she supports scientific research, biodiversity monitoring, ranger training, and environmental education, helping connect scientific knowledge with conservation and community engagement.
Renzo Mascote de Andrade
Renzo Mascote de Andrade is a Brazilian philosopher and climate activist pursuing a PhD in Philosophy at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). His research examines existential risk and climate ethics. He is also a Climate Reality Brazil Youth Climate Ambassador and represents Pará at the Legal Amazon Youth Leaders Summit. His interests lie at the intersection of philosophy, climate action, youth engagement, and Brazil’s role in a changing global order.
Samantha Anunciação
Samantha Anunciação is a biologist and young Amazonian leader from traditional Afro-Brazilian communities. She holds a degree from the University of São Paulo (USP) and is pursuing postgraduate studies in Amazonian Studies and Environmental Sciences. She coordinates the Climate Justice portfolio at the Jeholu Cultural Occupation and is a member of EMBRAPA’s CAPOEIRA Center. Her work focuses on climate adaptation and justice, emphasizing the importance of traditional knowledge in shaping climate action.
Learn more about the SPA’s Youth Advisory Committee.