My name is Jen, I have taught at the college level for the past 8 years, including the community college, private college, and university levels. My background is in genetics, conservation biology, and zoology. For my Master’s my thesis focused on genetic variation in Peregrine falcons in the Chesapeake Bay. I am a huge genetics nerd (and animal lover) who loves to get outside and get my hands dirty in some field work (especially in local ecosystems). I love teaching wildlife conservation as I find it is an excellent way to introduce people to the natural world and find connections between human life and the ecosystems we live in. I teach many diverse topics in biology and I encourage you to dive a little deeper – find articles, watch videos for any topics that really pique your interest. One of my favorite things about teaching is talking to students, answering questions, and taking time to help students develop their passion in the field of conservation.

I earned my Master’s in biology – specifically wildlife conservation genetics of falcons in the Chesapeake Bay and I always encourage my students to get outside multiple times during the semester because so much of conservation science happens outside! I also think getting outside and learning about your local ecosystems is critical to creating lifelong environmental stewards and instilling a sense of responsibility in students (regardless of age!). This all has the added benefit of helping diverse learning styles understand the principles of wildlife conservation by learning at the desk, as well as outside in the field.