CURRENT POSITIONS
Associate Editor American Scientist, Durham, NC, 2011 – present
- Work with invited authors to develop, refine and illustrate thought-provoking articles for a readership of more than 100,000 scientists, engineers and educators
- Produce podcasts and audio slide shows based on lectures and interviews with scientists
Programs Manager Sigma Xi, Durham, NC, 2008 – present
- Compile, format and post online a daily roundup of science news, available free to nearly 5,000 e-mail subscribers
- Manage research-ethics program
- Reported and produced 214 original news items and interviews for PRI’s The World Science podcast during 28-month collaboration
- Prepared how-to guide and workshops for organizers of informal public “science cafés”
Freelance Science Writer 2006 – present
- Report news in ecology and life sciences for ScienceNOW, The World and other outlets
SCIENCE WRITING EXPERIENCE
News Intern Science, Washington, DC, 2008
- Reported and wrote 25 online news articles, five print news and feature stories, five podcast segments and about 30 short news items during six-month internship
- Covered ecology, psychology, medicine and other life sciences
Science-Writing Intern National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, Durham, NC, 2007 – 2008
- Created online resource for biology educators by writing 12 “Evolution in the News” articles and suggesting questions for classroom discussion
AAAS Mass Media Fellow WOSU Public Media, Columbus, OH, 2007
- Prepared 20 news and feature stories for local public radio during nine-week fellowship
- Covered agriculture, physics, engineering, archaeology and other areas of science
Staff Writer, Technician, North Carolina State University student newspaper, 2005 – 2006
- Contributed more than 30 articles to the Science and Tech and News sections, generated story and graphic ideas and brainstormed at staff meetings
- Topics included biology, medicine, engineering, and computer science
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Curator and Educator Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, 1999 – 2002
- Engaged museum visitors and staff in conversations about insect biology
- Organized a large research collection of butterflies and moths
- Maintained living insects and plants in indoor butterfly garden
Ecologist The Nature Conservancy, Madison, WI, 2001
- Monitored endangered butterflies and moths, recommended habitat management tactics
Assistant Supervisor World Bird Sanctuary Bird Show, Milwaukee, WI, 1997 & 1999
- Coordinated team of 5 to produce daily bird shows and train 20 birds of prey. Presented one to three shows per day, interacting with audiences of up to 100
- Promoted from educator/bird trainer in 1997 to assistant supervisor in 1999
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 2008
Dissertation—Neotropical ant gardens: Behavioral and chemical ecology of an obligate ant-plant mutualism
M.S. Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2003
Thesis—The effects of ants on the carnivorous butterfly caterpillar Feniseca
tarquinius and the role of chemical camouflage in the Feniseca-ant interaction
B.A., Biology, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO, valedictorian, 1999
MULTIMEDIA AND COMPUTING
Proficient—Word, Excel, JMP, Systat, WordPress, Audition, Audacity, Soundslides
Basic—SAS, Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, Final Cut, HTML, ArcGIS
HONORS AND AWARDS
2009 Graduate School Dissertation Award, North Carolina State University
2009 Kenneth R. Keller Award for Excellence in Doctoral Dissertation Research
2006 GAANN Biotechnology Fellowship
2005 Amazon Conservation Association Research Fellowship
2004 Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research
2000 National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
1995 National Merit Scholarship
SERVICE AND OUTREACH
Durham Literacy Center English tutor, Durham, NC, 2010 – present
Plan and teach weekly English classes for adult speakers of other languages
Sustainable agriculture volunteer organic farm worker, NC and MD, 2006 – present
Prepare soils and infrastructure, plant, harvest, welcome farm-tour visitors
SAFE Child bilingual assistant and facilitator, Raleigh, NC, 2006
Coordinated child care and co-led adult family education discussion in Spanish
Earthwatch: Tropical Caterpillars assistant, La Selva, Costa Rica, 2003
Led volunteers in collecting and rearing insects and observing their behavior
Center for the Spanish Speaking English tutor, Milwaukee, WI, 2000 – 2002
Helped adult students prepare for citizenship and driver license tests
Jardín Gaia Wildlife Rescue Center volunteer, Quepos, Costa Rica, 1998
Cared for injured wildlife, created educational collection of local butterflies, developed butterfly vivarium, led tours of the center in English and Spanish
LANGUAGES
English (fluent)
Spanish (fluent)
French (intermediate)
