Undergraduate degree: Wayne State University, Teacher Education, 2012

Age: 29

Prior to SNRE: I worked as an environmental educator leading programs in the “outdoor classroom,” program planning, and designing curriculum. An interest in bird conservation led me to work for the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and later the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center where I developed interpretive materials and educational programs that used birds to connect people to science and nature.

Why Behavior, Education, & Communication?: As an environmental educator, I always enjoyed bringing people closer to nature; as a scholar, I always wondered what role this connection to nature plays in promoting environmental sustainability. The BEC track gives us the tools we need to strategically communicate, educate, and engage different audiences in environmental issues--and bring about meaningful behavior change. This is becoming increasingly important as resources for conservation efforts shrink and the need for public engagement grows. 

The best part of SNRE so far: SNRE really emphasizes systems thinking: considering issues in terms of scale and scope, across time and space. Systems thinking reveals a lot about how the world works; nothing exists in a bubble. This is the awesome unifying theme of SNRE—and an essential way of thinking for people going into interdisciplinary work.

“SNREdiest” thing she’s done: I led an SNRE Owl Prowl through Nichols Arboretum. We actually used it as an opportunity to connect to some things learned in our ecology class, including human impacts on the environment. Although we didn't officially confirm any owls, we definitely heard flying squirrels.

After graduation: I want to continue connecting people to science and nature-through research, education, outreach, and service-in ways that benefit both people and the environment. I am particularly interested in working with children and teachers and promoting the use of “outdoor classrooms” around schools.