Behind the Science: an Interview With Our Outdoor Nature Lab Program Lead

Q: What do you do at The Lawrence?

A: I oversee all things related to the Outdoor Nature Lab (care, supervision, content, programs development, etc.) and the programmatic experience for Dinosaur Lookout. I also oversee the planning and development of our Annual Earth Day Event 🙂 Aside from those things you can also find me helping out anywhere and everywhere around The Lawrence–I tend to wear quite a few different hats to help out our team.

Q: What is your favorite exhibit at The Lawrence and why?

A: You would think that I would say the Outdoor Nature Lab…and you would be right! I absolutely LOVE the Outdoor Nature Lab but not just because I oversee the exhibit. It has been such a wonderful experience to watch this outdoor exhibit grow and flourish over the years. When it opened back in June 2022 it was hard to see what it would eventually look like, but after a few years of growth, some new plant additions, along with some new signage and content…it is finally starting to feel how it was meant to. I am so proud of the space and of the student facilitators who work there

Q: Describe your path to science/education

A: Buckle up, this is an adventure. I was raised by my mom and dad to love, appreciate, and immerse myself in nature…but all I wanted to do as a kid was play video games and read books indoors. They tried so hard to get me outside– hikes, camping, sports, family events, etc.–but I just wouldn’t budge. Fast-forward to college and I ended up falling in love with Zoology and camping in my free time. Somehow, all of that effort paid off and I began loving nature. After I graduated with my BA in Zoology, I began teaching at a residential environmental education center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. While there I began my Masters of Arts in Biology, with a focus on inquiry-based informal education. I ended up working as a National Park Ranger and managing a Scenic Railroad program for field trips in Ohio, and then moved to Nebraska to work on the Niobrara National Scenic River and create their education program. In 2017 I made the decision to move across the country to Malibu and teach at Naturebridge in the Santa Monica Mountains…which led to living in Olympic National Park and teaching up there, and then moving to Yosemite National Park to teach there for a few years. This all eventually led to where I am today: working for a wonderful organization in my dream job.

Q: Who is your favorite fictional character, and why?

A: My favorite fictional character would have to be Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park (both the novel and movie). I have always been drawn to his view on science and the progression of it–the innate dangers that we face by doing something due to pride and money, but not stopping to put in boundaries and acknowledge if we should do it. I think everything that he said about dinosaurs can be directly applied to what we are exploring with AI right now.just because we can do something doesn’t necessarily mean that we should.

Q: If you could be any animal, real or imaginary, which would you be and why?

A: I would 100% be a manatee. There is just something so relaxing and wonderful about their life–they just float around and eat. All the time. Not to mention that they have the most amazing whiskers and they are so darn adorable. One of the best moments of my life was being able to swim with manatees in Florida and realizing that their life is so peaceful.

Q: What do you do in your free time that no one would expect?

A: I LOVE TO COOK. I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother at an early age, and I have taken that passion and continued it with my family. I tend to cook a new homemade meal every weeknight after work and I am always trying to push my boundaries of what I know how to make. My speciality when it comes to cooking is knowing what flavors and spices to pair together and the amounts of each. There is literally nothing I love more than decompressing in the kitchen and making a new dish while listening to my music. Well, maybe movies or shows that are able to truly capture the beauty and joy of cooking alongside the stress of it (I highly recommend the movie Chef, the movie Pig, and the show, The Bear).

Q: If you could amplify one thing at The Lawrence, what would it be?

A: I would like to amplify the absolutely incredible student staff that we have on our team. We have students from UC Berkeley in positions from Floor Facilitation, to Retail and Visitor Services, to the Animal Discovery Zone, research, and more! All of these students are so wonderful to work with and they are THE reason that we can operate like we do every day. Their dedication, time, energy, and knowledge is so refreshing and I have enjoyed working alongside them. A huge special shout out to my current Outdoor Nature Lab Lead Facilitators: Jackie Chiang and Jakob Jess!!! These 2 facilitators have been so important to the progression and development of the Outdoor Nature Lab activities and I don’t know where we (I) would be without them.