Science Fun
Bikes to Art Parade
I represented the entomology community as a beekeeper and a decorated bees nest scooter in the annual Grinnell, Iowa Bikes to Art Parade. More pictures and information about this fun event at bikestoart.com.
The Wonderful World of Insects
In both teaching and outreach I have presented various biological concepts to diverse students, from various age groups, cultures, and educational backgrounds. Early in my career I participated in a course offered at Cornell that focused on teaching the practice of outreach, wherein I gave a number of presentations to K-12 students and learned a lot about how best to adapt to my audience to communicate science effectively. Since then I have enjoyed creating lots of new and different opportunities to spread my love for biology. For example, during my tenure as a graduate student, I was a member of the organizational committee for the Department of Entomology’s annual insect fair, Insectapalooza. I played an important role in orchestrating this event, by creating custom posters, signage, maps, and exhibits. It’s these types of experiences that I encourage in my students, in order to promote education beyond the classroom.
Some recent outreach initiatives:
Insect Interviews
This self-funded website is the brain child of my husband and me. I wanted to create a website (www.insectinterviews.com) to introduce children to the wondrous world of insects in a way that was fun and engaging. By merging science and technology, my goal is to influence the next generation of scientists to study all the amazing ways insects shape our world.
Visit InsectInterviews.com
Science Cabaret
Insects mesmerize, mystify and horrify us. During this two hour talk I engaged the greater Ithaca community in the aspects of insect biology and behavior that makes them great inspiration for cinematic heroes and, more often, monstrous villains.
Naturalist Outreach Insect Sounds Video
As part of Cornell University’s Naturalist Outreach (http://blogs.cornell.edu/naturalistoutreach) I developed this video on insect sound in conjunction with Mariah Slone, Linda Rayor, the Ithaca College Media Lab, and NYS-4H. The purpose of this video is to introduce a wide audience to the fascinating world in insect sound and communication.