A new collection of children's stories titled "The Adventures of Ericín" aims to educate children and their parents or guardians about the variety of marine species that exist in the Caribbean.
Its author, Dr. Ruber Rodríguez Barrera, combined his expertise in black sea urchins with the newly available artificial intelligence tools to create a series of stories accessible through a website and digital application.
Rodríguez Barrera is a Professor of Biology at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Bayamón and the driving force behind "Ericín."
In his free time, he has dedicated himself to creating stories that highlight the distinctive physical characteristics of different organisms on the ocean floor. From a black sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) to sea cucumbers and, soon, marine plants, for this expert, learning more about the important role these species play helps citizens get involved in their conservation.
"I chose a black sea urchin as the protagonist because it is a key species for reef health. Additionally, it is a species that has suffered many pandemics and has not recovered," he said, referring to the loss of black sea urchins in large numbers during the 1980s and, more recently, in 2022.
It was because of these devastations, along with his own doctoral thesis, that Rodríguez Barrera became interested in highlighting the black sea urchin.
"The Adventures of Ericín" consists, according to its author, of seven stories inspired by marine biodiversity: "The Journey," "Playing Hide and Seek," "The Family Album," "The Irregular Cousins," "Let's Care for the Ocean," "Friends with Shells," and "Triki, the Manatee."
The collection includes the scientific names of the species, but the rest of the language—in Spanish and English—was simplified so that any reader, child or adult, could understand. For Rodríguez Barrera, this was a highly difficult process.
"I'm used to writing about organisms in scientific journals, but, over time, I realized I also had to learn how to communicate with the general public. That's where the idea of creating 'Ericín' came from," he shared.
"I have the knowledge and, if we now have artificial intelligence as a tool, we can give it a unique purpose," he added.
Nevertheless, creating the first story was uphill. "One thinks that artificial intelligence does everything with a button, but that's not true. I had to learn to use several different platforms to create everything, from the art to how to package it in a digital application," Rodríguez Barrera admitted.
The stories are available, at no cost, on this website, and are also adapted for any digital device.
3D Printing and Conservation
Rodríguez Barrera's effort to protect reefs is not limited to children's stories. While "Ericín" seeks to raise awareness about the importance of these species, his work as a researcher focuses on developing tools to restore marine ecosystems.
Currently, the doctor also serves as a mentor for the Summer Research Institute at UPR in Bayamón, which focuses on developing innovative and sustainable projects related to climate change and coastal resilience.
Together with Rodríguez Barrera, several undergraduate students are creating structures using 3D printing technology to encourage the nesting of black sea urchins within destroyed reefs.
The goal of the project is to promote reef restoration by reintroducing one of the key species (sea urchin) and providing a safe space for freshwater fish to return to it. This initiative, he said, is necessary because the high presence of algae competes with reef health and ends up degrading it. Attracting algae-eating fish back to the space helps combat that loss.
The team expects to install the preliminary structures in reefs near Isla de Cabras and monitor their impact on reef health.
The research program will culminate in August. It is carried out through a collaboration between UPR in Bayamón and Purdue University, and is funded by the Office of Naval Research.