Alma Parada promoted to Head of Branner Earth Sciences Library & Map Collections

I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Alma Parada has been named Head of Branner Earth Sciences Library and Map Collections with Stanford Libraries. Alma joined us as the Earth & Environmental Sciences Librarian in September 2021, and has been serving as the Acting Head of Branner Earth Sciences Library and Map Collections since September 2022. Following the retirement of Michael Newman, she stepped in as our Interim Biology Librarian from January 2022 through January 2023. She has a B.S. in Biology from the University of La Verne and a Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography from the University of Southern California. Alma has accomplished a great deal in her first three years with us, and this is reflected in the decision to have her lead Branner Library during such a pivotal time in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s (SDSS) development.

Alma’s ability to foster a culture of collaboration is a crucial asset in supporting the interdisciplinary, solutions-focused nature of SDSS. She has established strong working relationships within Stanford Libraries to build capacity in support of the diverse needs of researchers across the fields represented in the School, from Blue Humanities to Environmental Engineering. Her collaborative spirit has also cultivated ties across units with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Doerr School, demonstrating her commitment to supporting all members of the SDSS community (and beyond). 

Alma held a postdoctoral position in the Department of Earth System Science, and so is well-positioned to understand the needs of the faculty, researchers, and students in the School. Her experience navigating and integrating resources from multiple disciplines to support research and teaching needs is laudable. For example, Alma’s efforts in supporting open science and the Carpentries instructional program is a significant asset in the School’s goal to advance integrative projects that address solutions at scale. She understands the critical need to build capacity in the tools and computational methods necessary to do this work. This demonstrates her innovative mindset, particularly in adapting library services to meet the evolving needs of Stanford researchers.

Alma is well poised to lead Branner Earth Sciences Library and Map Collections forward as the Doerr School grows with new faculty, new research areas, and new spaces. Please join me in offering her enthusiastic congratulations!

Amanda Whitmire
Head, Science & Engineering Resource Group
Head Librarian, Harold A. Miller Library