Profile

• Time Zone

  Pacific

  
  
• Organization

  National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  I am currently a botanist for the National Ecological Observatory Network. I enjoy working with and observing plants and teaching others to about them as well.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  When and why did you decide to go into a science career?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):

  When I was in high school I hated being stuck inside all day, so when I had to decide on a career, the one thing I knew was that I wanted to work outdoors. At first I thought maybe I could be a conservation officer, but I found out that was not quite the right fit for me because I did not want to deal with people in that context. In college I met an Environmental Science professor who was building an outdoor classroom. Becoming involved in that project allowed me to observe plants from seeds through flowering and I was able to build ecosystems from the ground up. Being involved in that project allowed me to find my interest in plants and led me to be a botanist today.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  What is a typical day like for you?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 2 here (300 words):

  Although I have no typical day, one of my favorite types of days consists of gathering data on tree growth. In order to determine how much carbon and nitrogen trees are taking up each year, the organization I work for measures the diameter, height, and canopy width of trees and shrubs.
  First thing in the morning we pack up our tools and head out into the forest. We carry everything we will need for the day and use a GPS and a compass to find a marker in the forest. We visit the same plots year after year and mark the trees with tags so we can measure how much they grow. Once we have roped off the plot, we use measuring sticks and tapes to measure the diameter of trees at 130 centimeters above the ground. Using a Laser Rangefinder we find the heights of the trees and then, using two people, we estimate where the canopy would end if it were on the ground and measure the width of the canopy. There are similar measurements for small trees, saplings, and shrubs. There could be up to 200 trees in one plot to measure, and we have 60 plots to take measurements in, but the data is useful to researchers, and we enjoy collecting it.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  What lessons have you learned in your career about how science works?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 3 here (300 words):

  One thing I have learned about how science works is that science never works as planned. Plants do not grow according to a datasheet, they are variable. You need to be flexible in workflow and thinking in order to deal with nature and human differences. Whether you are dealing with weather, growth patterns, or forgotten equipment, science will be much more fun if you are willing to work with what you are given in the field.

  
  
• Help represent the outreach efforts of your societies. Please click all those organizations you are a member of:

  (not set)

  
  
• Capacity: How many teams at a time are you comfortable working with?

  2