Science Is Like Punk Rock

San Leandro punk rocker, biomedical engineer, and environmental activist Cynthia Prieto-Diaz says sheltering in place in 2020 kickstarted her interest in ecological justice. 

“Working from home, I really experienced my own neighborhood for the first time. How traffic, noise, and pollution impact us.” 

Inspired by this experience, she now works as a civic scientist with Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally, a nonprofit connecting STEM professionals with their local communities and governments. 

As part of this work, she has advocated for portable air quality monitors in San Leandro so residents can access accurate local data rather than aggregated information from a broader region. Now, neighbors can make informed decisions for personal activities and gather statistics for environmental advocacy. 

Prieto-Diaz says science is like punk rock — you can challenge authority and tradition if you have the evidence, and try new things to figure out what works. Also, both fields value curiosity and  healthy skepticism.

After professors encouraged her to enter the health sciences, Prieto-Diaz majored in biotechnology and built a career designing medical devices for companies including Bayer and Amgen. 

Then, after experiencing her first layoff, she embarked on a transformative journey. While traveling solo through eight countries, she gained a profound understanding of global health disparities and the urgent need for sustainable solutions. Inspired by these experiences, Prieto-Diaz pursued a master’s in public health, focusing on environmental health science.

She brings the same spirit to building coalitions for environmental sustainability projects that she did to scientific research and punk music. “If people tell you ‘no,’ don’t give up,” she says. “Pivot to do things differently, or tailor your message more effectively.”

As part of her local environmental activism, she organizes community cleanup events with teens through the Eden Youth Center, which aims to provide safe and healthy spaces for young minds to learn.

“It’s not long ago I was a teen,” Prieto-Diaz says. “I still listen to political punk music from those years. I love and I am still inspired by individuals like Henry Rollins, who said, ‘If you hate your parents, the man, or the establishment, don’t show them up by getting wasted and wrapping your car around a tree. If you really want to rebel … outlearn them, outlive them, and know more than they do.’

September was the biggest San Leandro teen garbage cleanup event she has ever helped organize, held at the San Leandro Marina as part of California’s annual Coastal Cleanup Day.

Prieto-Diaz acknowledges that she’s privileged to have time for civic advocacy. “I don’t have kids yet, so I’m caring for the community, leaving a different sort of legacy,” she says.  

She advocates a practical approach to engage busy people with families in San Leandro in conversations about sustainability.  “There’s money in clean green energy, new and good jobs in the trades.” 

Ecology and adapting to climate change are a big part of addressing public safety and the economy, she says. She’s glad that she’s only one of many working on climate resilience. San Leandro has a climate action plan as a shoreline city of about 90,000 people, as well as a sustainability manager and a robust community of activists. 

Prieto-Diaz considers herself fortunate that she’s very close to her parents and siblings. “I need someone to vent to when things get tough,” she says. It’s a reminder that frustration is part of being human. “It’s OK to take a pause. I do that by running out in nature.” 

As the youngest child in her family, she grew up with freedom. In the punk world, she saw friends express their freedom through a DIY ethic, with many starting their own bands or producing their own merchandise. 

She remembers jumping around in mosh pits as therapeutic, a place where people all dance to and sing the same song. She hopes the shared experience of COVID-19 quarantine encourages us to build a more resilient world. And that we remember how all of our communities need us, as much as we need them. 

On November 6th, 2024, Prieto-Diaz was appointed to the Community Advisory Council for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.