Hello and welcome! I’m Isa Betancourt, an entomologist and photographer driven by my passion to connect people with natural history sciences. We live on an exquisite planet and we need to understand and respect its inhabitants and inner workings to both sustain ourselves and maintain Earth’s beauty. For over 10 years I have worked in the field of entomology, first as a student at Cornell University and then as a curatorial personnel in the entomology collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Museum (ANSP). During this time, I initiated several science communication projects, and, in 2017, I began formal communication training through the Master’s in Communication program at Drexel University, which I completed December 2019.


Insects are found in nearly every terrestrial space on our planet, making them rather accessible. However, their speed and small size decreases their accessibility, making it harder for people to see them, connect with them, and understand their importance in our environment. I increase access to the insect world through macrophotography, videography, and live broadcasts. I published a book with my macrophotography images, “Backyard Bugs of Philadelphia” and I host the “BugScope” a weekly insect-themed livestream.
You can browse these and other projects on the “Portfolio” page.

In addition to digital and printed media, I give in-person and online presentations on topics such as:
• A tour of insect biodiversity
• Insects in the urban environment, with my insect biodiversity collection project in center city Philadelphia as an example
• How to support insects in the garden
• Macrophotography, capturing compelling images given the tools you have available
• How entomology collections work
• How to collect and preserve insects for science or art
• How to communicate science
• And more!

I also give presentations on communication, such as “how to effectively communicate science in the 21st century”. I believe that in this day and age, it is especially important for scientists to understand both the importance of communicating their science and how to effectively communicate their science. To this end, I am oriented to support natural history and environmental scientists.

This year, I’m working in Indonesia as a Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellow.
https://fieldnotes.nationalgeographic.org/expedition/borneanbuglife

Go ahead and check out my work. Enjoy! 

If you’d like to connect further, please shoot me a message through the contact form.