Science Alive Welcomes New Team Members

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, but have had the privilege of living and working in Reno, Florida and Indiana as well. At an early age I discovered a deep love for the natural world. I am naturally a very sensitive person, and have always found that I feel the most at peace while immersed in nature. Some of my favorite memories during school were the times we had class outside, or when I was chosen to be in charge of feeding the desert tortoises in our courtyard! In college, I discovered that I also had a passion for teaching. After graduation I fell into the environmental education field and knew immediately it was my calling.

After working in the field for a couple of years, I decided to continue my academic career and pursue a master’s degree in environmental education in Indiana. The program had a profound effect on me and really helped me refine my identity as an educator. I am so excited to be back in the job field, and to put to use all I’ve learned. At the heart of everything I’ve done and want to do is a desire to help others develop love and appreciation for the natural world. I also hope to keep pushing forward and advocating for environmental education in schools.

In my free time I enjoy being outdoors, reading, cooking and listening to music. I have recently taken up nature photography as a hobby and absolutely love it! I am also a huge bird nerd and love being able to find and check unique ones off my list.

I am from Chattanooga, TN and recently graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. My major was very small and gave me a broad background as well as a tight-knit group of friends. Having such a small, intimate school setting really allowed me to create strong relationships with my peers and professors. My favorite subjects in school have always been environmental science and chemistry, and I am excited to share that I love with others with similar interests.

I wanted to expand my horizons and leave my comfort zone, which is part of the reason I applied for the position at DRI. I have spent the last three years as an interpretive ranger with the Tennesee State Parks and worked with people from all walks of life. Through that work I have found that I really enjoy the interpersonal relationships that can be made while engaging people in science education.

I love being outside and thrive on learning new things. In my free time I love exploring the natural world, playing guitar and spending time with my 2 year old cat, Mac, who accompanies me on all my adventures. I am so excited to join the team and work with Nevada’s educators!

I am a continuing STEM Education Outreach Coordinator at DRI! It’s a fulfilling job, and this experience is only possible thanks to AmeriCorps. I’d heard of DRI many times as I grew up in Reno, and doing good work with them still feels unreal in the best way. I’ve decided to continue my service with Science Alive because I enjoy working with such a brilliant team. I’ve had the pleasure of working with each member of DRI’s Office of Education, and every one of them is creative and knowledgeable. I learn something new every day I work at DRI!

My favorite subject in school was English because I love reading and writing – putting words on paper still gives me joy. When I was a senior in high school, my English teacher put journal prompts on the board for our first in-class activity every day. He then asked us to discuss our responses, and he was open to and understanding of everyone’s perspective; his encouragement of independent thought guided me toward English, education and empathy.

To all the teachers out there: you are resilient superstars, and I appreciate your dedication to your craft. The world is in a state of flux, and you handle its difficulties with grace and poise. This is not easy, and I am impressed by all of you! You deserve more recognition than I can give in this short write up.

In my free time I love to read or play video games. There are so many good stories in games, and the really good ones get my brain moving in new ways!

My name is Brittany, I graduated in May of 2020 from Wittenberg University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and minors in Biology and Psychology. As a Nashville, TN native I grew up exploring and learning to love the outdoors. As a US Sailing Certified Small Boat Instructor I taught sailing for three summers, and I just completed a season as a biological science technician with the US Forest Service in northern Michigan.

As an individual who is passionate about sharing knowledge and life-long learning, I am extremely excited to be working as the STEM Education Outreach Coordinator for Northern NV at DRI. Growing up in school my favorite subjects were science and theatre arts, as both keep the mind active and were hands on! I attended an Art2STEM camp through my middle school that opened my mind to the possibility of a career within the sciences; I hope to be able to serve as that spark for future generations.

In my free time you can find me traveling, exploring new places, the outdoors, buying plants, and petting every dog possible. I am ecstatic to be joining such a strong team of scientists and educators!