Writing for Science and Education
Writing for the general public is necessary to bridge the gap between challenging scientific jargon and community understanding. In addition to writing for industry and government, such as scientific documentation and grants, the following publications are a snapshot of what I've written for education blogs and environmental outlets.
Wildlife Rescue Centers Coping with COVID
Earth Island Journal
Over the last few months, the Covid-19 outbreak has unleashed a dystopia of physical distancing, lockdowns, and anxieties. Only those with an I’m essential passcode are allowed to carry on in a strange new world. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers work in conjunction with wildlife veterinarians, making them an essential service. But the pandemic has brought a whole new set of challenges that many of these centers couldn’t have predicted. Because centers have their own unique organizational structure, they have different ways of coping with these changes. For most, it boils down to volunteers and donations…
A Genetic Explanation of Phonetic Differences
Family Education
The creation of a human body goes far beyond simple building blocks. For around nine months, the womb meticulously assembles microscopic fragments of DNA from both parents to create a unique individual. During that time, parents anticipate how the baby will look. Will she be tall like the father, have dark skin like the mother, or soft green eyes like both?
Although genetics has a hand in turning the baby into a mini-you, the same players also morph him into a mini-not-you. This article explains some of the most common genetic reasons why you may not share any physical similarities.
20 STEM Makerspace Activities for Elementary
STEM Toy Expert
An ongoing universe of creativity, experimentation, and fun exists in a makerspace. You can almost feel the electric currents of excitement and collaboration when you’re part of a group of individuals who want nothing more than to build and create projects.
Makerspace is an ingenious way of participating in hands-on and often real-world experiences that kids learn in school, but only through textbooks, a pen, and paper.
If you run a Makerspace, whether it’s at a school, a library, a STEM club, or from home, here is a running list of makerspace activities for elementary kids that will spark an appreciation for science far beyond the school curriculum.
Return to the Big Blue - A Sea Turtle's Release from Rehab
Marine Madness
The adrenaline is still pulsing through my veins, making my hands tremble and my heart pound. A perma-grin is smeared on my face, “Probably for forever,” I had said earlier. Thinking back from just an hour before, I can still feel Evergreen’s smooth, scaley flipper flapping relentlessly against my arms.
My one hand grips his precentral scute just above his neck while my other fingertips try to steady along the sharp postcentral scutes jutting out from above his flicking tail. For a split second, I pray to the turtle Gods to keep him from taking a crap, but it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to smear it off my hand and shoes…
The Physiological Benefits of Touch in the Classroom
Comprosition
In an age where touch seems taboo between students and teachers, studies and educators reveal the value of practising positive touch in a classroom setting to build healthy student-teacher relationships. Students have differing backgrounds, so it is helpful for educators to know not only the value of touch but also when it is and isn't necessary.
A Genetic Explanation for Dimples
Family Education
Baby cheeks are so sweet, pudgy, and pinchable. Pair those with adorable dimples and giggles, and you have a baby akin to a kewpie doll. Dimples are often seen as desirable because they light up a face, even through smudged, terrible-two tears. But how do you know if your baby will have dimples? It’s a question that many soon-to-be parents ask themselves. The answer lies within minuscule, curly things called genes...
“The muscle in question is called the bifid zygomaticus muscle, and it creates the dimple when it flexes. That’s why we normally only see dimples when someone smiles or makes a facial expression that pulls on these specific muscles.”
Talking to Kids About 9/11
Family Education
Nearly every American from a certain age can remember what they were doing when the horrific events of 9/11 happened. It was traumatic enough for the millions of Americans who watched, horrified and helpless, from their televisions, but for the people it directly affected—first responders, rescue workers, survivors, and their family members—it paints a completely different story. For these people, 9/11 is a part of their family heritage, and they don’t hide the fact from their kids.
Caring for an Autistic Child in Preschool
Comprosition
All children develop at their own pace and thrive in an environment where they can be an individual while learning appropriate social behaviour. To honour each child’s unique capabilities, nearly all researchers and specialists believe there should be interventions in place at regular preschools for children with ASD.
Evidence-based early intervention programs famously improve the quality of life for children with ASD. Without them, challenging classroom behaviours associated with children on the spectrum may persist throughout the child’s life.
