Outreach

Coon Creek Science Center (2021-2023)

Course-based undergraduate research opportunities greatly enhance the educational experience of college students. Providing this opportunity to high school students should equally encourage professional and academic growth.

The ESI Fossil Search engaged students from urban Nashville high schools in scientific exploration, with a memorable, hands-on learning activity. This partnership between the Evolutionary Studies Initiative (ESI) at Vanderbilt University and the Coon Creek Science Center will inspire curiosity about research and science in the high school students. Project leaders will encourage students to have confidence in choosing careers which allow them to explore nature, history, and evolution.

Project goals are 1) to inspire high school students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience paleontological research, 2) to bolster college applications, making participants more competitive candidates for research-based institutions, and 3) to train graduate students in providing outreach programs to a diverse array of stakeholders.

Ecology Lab TA at LSU: Swamp Project (2013-2017)

In the ecology lab, students went out into the BlueBonnet Swamp to remove elephant ear, an invasive plant. After removing the elephant ear, they planted native species in the void left behind. The students also developed hypotheses to test what makes elephant ear so invasive in the swamp.