As a child exploring nature in her native Colombia, Carolina “Caro” Muñoz Agudelo, was fascinated by the untold stories of the plants, animals and insects around her.
“As a kid growing up, I was always very curious,” said Agudelo. “I was not like a princess, I was more like a Boy Scout [because] I loved to be outside.”
Agudelo, recently earned a science doctorate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is now the director of public programming and research at Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Wales. Along with her colleagues she create unique opportunities for the public to engage with nature in different ways. Her passion for nature is displayed in her interactions with those who attend her many seminars, educational programs and immersive walks in nature.
“When you have the opportunity to explore the outdoors, you connect more with who you are because you learn to appreciate those little organisms,” said Agudelo.
During the rise of technology, internet and social media, according to Agudelo, it is important for people to spend more time outside.
“People are more disconnected with nature, so I feel happy to provide that opportunity. And I'm going to do that as much as I can,” she said.
From fearing to loving insects
While she always enjoyed the outdoors one fear she could not overcome were insects, specifically cockroaches. Majoring in agriculture in a university in Colombia, she was putting off taking an entomology class for fear of the critters. But the moment of facing her roach fear was inevitable. Despite her arrangements with the professor just to be a sole observer during the insect dissection class, she was up for a surprise.
“And he [the professor] decided that it was a good idea to help me face my fears, so he took a roach and put it on my hand,” she said laughing, remembering the exact moment the creature touched her skin.
Instead of dropping that metamorphic creature on the floor, Agudelo let it roam freely on her hand and arm and so began her passion for studying insects.
“I decided to follow my curiosity, and I joined the entomology club,” she said.
Agudelo eventually did her Ph.D. on Organismal and Evolutionary Biology.
“All my work has been on insects. I love them so much, their diversity and the way they adapt... I can talk about insects all day. They are spectacular. They are beautiful,” said Agudelo.
Language course opens door to career growth
Years earlier in her native Colombia Agudelo ended up teaching science in three different schools after graduation. But she could not get rid of the feeling that there was something missing. She felt like not knowing English was that barrier that prevented her from having access to more information and maybe from getting additional degrees and advancing her career, she said.
“So, I decided to take a pause on my career and come to the United States to do a one-year English program,” said Agudelo.
While she was doing her program at Worcester State University, Agudelo realized that she was getting “a little bored” with just English studies. It was then that she decided to seek some volunteer opportunities in the university’s biology department lab.
“You are just like one more element in this gorgeous environment, gorgeous planet." — Carolina "Caro" Muñoz Agudelo.
“I went to the biology department and offered my help,” she said. “I can volunteer to do work in the lab because I'm a trained biologist.”
Agudelo continued her studies and volunteered at the lab. Her determination and desire to stay active and learn more ended up in an offer to do a master’s degree in biotechnology. After completing her masters degree she turned up for a presentation at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. According to Agudelo, she was blown away by the labs there that were working with bees. Thus, her passion for insects, especially for bees, was reactivated. Then Agudelo heard that UMass Amherst was looking for a potential Ph.D. candidate.
“So, I went and talked with that professor, and they said yes. I worked with bees,” said Agudelo.
According to her Ph.D. Professor Lynn Adler, Aguadelo's research addressed various stressors that could affect bee health, including pathogens and exposure to pesticides.
“She is passionate about agriculture, but also just passionate about learning about ecology and bridging those gaps between science and society,” said Adler. “And she's just a delightful person.”
Norcross Wildlife Foundation work
Agudelo defended her thesis in August of 2025. But her career journey in the United States was just beginning. While finishing her Ph.D. program, she applied for a position as director of public programming at The Norcross Wildlife Foundation. She joined the organization in February of 2025 and according to Ed Hood, Agudelo’s current supervisor, she she came highly recommended.
Hood said Agudelo’s expertise in developing public and educational programming at Norcross plus her management and coordination of research, data collection and engagement with outside scholars has helped the organization profoundly.
“I have transitioned her (Agudelo) from just managing our public programs to managing all of our public, educational and community engagement programs, and our research program,” said Hood. “This is an expansive range of responsibilities which will include supervising a full-time environmental educator that we are in the process of hiring.”
Working with children at Norcross while introducing them to wildlife is a constant reminder of Agudelo’s own childhood in Colombia. She always cherished her time exploring nature. Spending time outside on her family’s farm she learned how to appreciate the world around her. That opportunity to connect with the outdoors let her understand who she was as a person.
“You are just like one more element in this gorgeous environment, gorgeous planet,” said Agudelo.
Throughout her numerous outreach programs within Norcross, Agudelo is trying to encourage people, especially those who are not into nature, to get connected with it. She either travels to them with elements of nature, usually live insects, or organizes yoga sessions outdoors. Another activity that might boost people’s interest in nature is navigating through some trails that according to Agudelo’s planning will have bilingual signs this year.
“And then little by little, like even the most hesitant people can open up and maybe would like to change their perspective [about nature],” said Agudelo.
Encouraging curiosity
Agudelo is also involved in a partnership with Eagle Eye Institute in Springfield and Holyoke that focuses on offering learning programs and opportunities to experience well-being, belonging and empowerment for youth through a relationship with nature and geared mostly towards underserved communities.
Programs dedicated to different topics like forest, insects or aquatic ecology are available for students throughout the school year and during the summer vacation. According to Agudelo, these sessions are important because they will teach the growing generation how to take care of the ecosystem to sustain the planet.
“These kids are the future,” said Agudelo, “And I personally have a mission to introduce them to the fields of ecology, biology and agriculture.”
As for the parents, according to Agudelo, they too could help promote nature to their children. One thing to remember is to never project their adult fears on kids. But instead, to try to expose them to different outdoors experiences, workshops dedicated to wildlife or nature centers, she said.
“Kids are very curious,” said Agudelo. “And I think that parents have a big responsibility on how to support that curiosity.”