Catalina Cat Kurihara

About Catalina Cat Kurihara

Catalina Kurihara, or Cat as some know her, is in her third year at the University of Oregon studying Public Relations and Political Science with a minor in Science Communication.Catalina is an Oregon native, having spent most of her life on the Columbia River and theOregon/Washington border. Catalina graduated from Hood River Valley High School with honors in 2023 and has since moved to Eugene. Catalina is actively learning more about research and law. She has presented at the Pacific Sociological Association conference of 2025 with her research titled: “Preparing for ‘The Big One’: Leveraging Social Media for Public Awareness and Community Engagement” She will be presenting again at the Pacific Sociological Association conference in the Spring of 2026. Her research will be highlighting and exploring how exposure to gamified disaster preparedness content may influence message retention and disaster preparedness as a whole.Additionally, Catalina has presented at the University of Oregon\'s Undergraduate Symposium during her second year for a separate research study titled: “Surviving the System, Creating Our Own: A Bloom & Thrive Survival Guide.” This fall she participated in diabetes research/transcription with Tian Walker as a research assistant. In her free time, Catalina enjoys nature, hikes with her dogs, and volunteering. She also finds interest in YouTube video essays surrounding anthropology and pop culture.

Experience

1. Science Communication Intern

   National Science Foundation Nsf

   Jul 2025 — Present

   Working on NSF Funded Project: Cascadia CoPes Research Hub - NSF-21•••13 - Collaborated with the Project Manager of the Cascadia CoPes Hub to translate complex natural hazard and climate research into accessible content for Pacific Northwest coastal communities, including writing news stories, research one-pagers, and quarterly newsletter updates- Managed digital communication channels by updating the Hub’s website, creating social media content, and supporting visual design using Canva, with a focus on community resilience to earthquakes, tsunamis, sea level rise, and climate change- Took initiative in developing original science communication materials, contributing to a potential podcast concept and creating content independently with minimal oversight in a virtual, self-directed work environment.