I am committed to improving science appreciation in the community and the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
Ocean Commotion
From 2008 to 2015 I participated in Ocean Commotion, an outreach event sponsored by the Louisiana State Sea Grant Program. During Ocean Commotion, 3,000 elementary students from schools across Baton Rouge participate in activities and demonstrations about the plants, animals, and habitats found along the Louisiana coast. Each year I helped run a booth that displayed a wide range of live marine invertebrates such as crabs, urchins, starfish, and snails common in the Gulf of Mexico. When students visited our booth we encouraged them to (gently!) touch the animals and engaged them in discussions to get them thinking about the biology and ecology of the animals and the importance of protecting the coast where the animals live. Learn more about Ocean Commotion here.
From 2008 to 2015 I participated in Ocean Commotion, an outreach event sponsored by the Louisiana State Sea Grant Program. During Ocean Commotion, 3,000 elementary students from schools across Baton Rouge participate in activities and demonstrations about the plants, animals, and habitats found along the Louisiana coast. Each year I helped run a booth that displayed a wide range of live marine invertebrates such as crabs, urchins, starfish, and snails common in the Gulf of Mexico. When students visited our booth we encouraged them to (gently!) touch the animals and engaged them in discussions to get them thinking about the biology and ecology of the animals and the importance of protecting the coast where the animals live. Learn more about Ocean Commotion here.
EnvironMentors
From 2012 to 2015 I volunteered with the LSU chapter of EnvironMentors, a national mentoring program that facilitates the participation of at-risk high school students in environmental and science related fields. Mentors work one-on-one with students and help them develop and conduct a research project following the scientific method. At the end of the school year, the students summarize the results of their projects and present their work as a poster in local and national EnvironMentors science fairs. Helping these students develop the skills they need to be successful in science or any field they choose has been extremely rewarding. Read about the LSU EnvironMentors chapter here.
From 2012 to 2015 I volunteered with the LSU chapter of EnvironMentors, a national mentoring program that facilitates the participation of at-risk high school students in environmental and science related fields. Mentors work one-on-one with students and help them develop and conduct a research project following the scientific method. At the end of the school year, the students summarize the results of their projects and present their work as a poster in local and national EnvironMentors science fairs. Helping these students develop the skills they need to be successful in science or any field they choose has been extremely rewarding. Read about the LSU EnvironMentors chapter here.
LSU Women in Science
As a woman who has chosen a career in academic biology, I am concerned that women are underrepresentation in faculty positions in academia, in science, technology, engineering, and math STEM fields particularly, and are most likely to leave academia at the transition between postdoctoral fellow and professor. In 2014 I founded LSU Women in Science, a group of women graduate students, postdocs, and faculty who meet monthly to discuss the personal and professional challenges we face and offer support and advice to succeed in our chosen career paths.
As a woman who has chosen a career in academic biology, I am concerned that women are underrepresentation in faculty positions in academia, in science, technology, engineering, and math STEM fields particularly, and are most likely to leave academia at the transition between postdoctoral fellow and professor. In 2014 I founded LSU Women in Science, a group of women graduate students, postdocs, and faculty who meet monthly to discuss the personal and professional challenges we face and offer support and advice to succeed in our chosen career paths.