My love for science started at a young age. As a young child with brown hair and hazel eyes, I use to sit cross-legged in the bright green grass and with my hands dig holes into the ground. I would find rocks, worms, and dark brown clumps of soil. I’d stare for hours at these treasures and ponder, “How did this get here?". I was intrigued with how and why things formed. This interest didn’t stop at rocks or organisms, it was true for human anatomy, physiology, plants, our solar system, nearly everything. In each aspect of our world, I wanted to understand how and why it existed. In particular, a common trend with my interest has been the connection and progression from an object’s chemical composition to its physical structure to its usable functionality. In my undergrad, learning about Biology and Chemistry satisfied many of my curiosities, but not all. In graduate school, teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology and taking courses in Earth Science helped with the application of science, but it was the larger calling for how I could contribute to scientific knowledge that has continued my work. 

I was born and raised in a rural American town - home to 200 people. There I was instilled the importance for the pursuit of happiness. I find happiness in learning and understanding, and believe it’s important for me and every scientist to give back. One of the ways I give back is by creating time for public outreach and education to improve science communication. In particular it's helping educate other scientists on effective ways to communicate and engage audiences on scientific topics, and helping the public incorporate science into their decision making. My motivation behind this work is two fold. The first is that I believe people are smart, and we can't expect people to know what they haven’t been exposed to. I live by the saying, "They are who we would be under similar circumstances" - Dale Carnegie. The second is that we as a society have formed a divide between scientists and the public. Scientists have grave impact on the world, but for change to occur from our science, there needs to be an increase in both public accessibility and interest in science. This is why my personal style of science communication is aimed at being educational and relatable; and my teaching is centered on providing action steps students studying science can take towards scientists-public cohesion. My work as a science communicator formally began when I was completing my Masters of Science degree, but the true beginning was during my four-years at Alverno College. In 1973, Alverno College initiated and implemented a new way of teaching and learning called, “Competence Based Learning”. Because of their belief and bravery in continuing to stand by this curriculum, it had paramount impacts in helping me “learn, internalize, and then externalize and apply the knowledge I gained in the classroom to my life”. I give all my gratitude and appreciation to the wonderful instructors, faculty, and staff at Alverno College. 

As I mentioned above, my adventures page is to help provide an easily accessible and free resource for safely participating in outdoor sports. Having not grown up in a wilderness-centered community, my experience has primarily been based on learning from my peers, asking questions, and using my research abilities to keep a log for how I’ve gained skills inexpensively. The information I’ve used for all my adventures can be found on the various pages under Adventures.