Episodes
Why Aggressive Elephants? Also Field Stories, Dung DNA, and Elephant Conservation
Oct. 18, 2020
This is the fifth episode in a series all about how I actually studied elephants. For my Ph.D., I studied the social structure and genetic patterns of African forest elephants in Gabon. Here I follow up on aggressive elephan…
Charging Elephants and Fresh Dung: Challenges from the Field
Oct. 11, 2020
This is the fourth episode in a series all about how I actually studied elephants. I recently gave a talk and people were really curious about how I went about this (how does one study elephants?). I decided this would be th…
First Field Season with Forest Elephants
Oct. 4, 2020
This episode is the third part of a series all about my dissertation research on African forest elephants. People were really curious about how I actually went about this (how does one study elephants?), so I made a series a…
Choosing a Field Site for Forest Elephant Research
Sept. 27, 2020
Welcome back to this series on how I set up my forest elephant research and what it was like to study them. In the last episode, I take you through the process of how and why I decided to study African forest elephants, and …
How Do You Study Elephants? The Start of My Journey
Sept. 20, 2020
I chose to study elephants for my dissertation research. But how does one even set something like that up? Where do you begin? I recently gave a talk to undergraduate students in wildlife studies. I talked about my past rese…
Barriers to Entry in Wildlife and Conservation Jobs with Stephanie Martin
Sept. 13, 2020
In this episode, I talk with scientist and science communicator Stephanie Martin about a topic near and dear to her heart – barriers to entry in the field of wildlife biology. A lot of people may not know this, but experienc…
Conversations About Conservation in Academia with Chris Parsons
Sept. 6, 2020
Last week in episode #21, I talked about the importance of voting for the conservation of wildlife. This is the perfect follow-episode! I interview marine scientist and science communicator Dr. Chris Parsons of the Speak Up …
Want to Help Animals? Do This One Thing
Aug. 30, 2020
As a wildlife biologist, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is: “What can I do to help animals?” Well this episode is all about that exact topic. And guess what? It’s probably not what you think it is. Want a c…
5 Things You’ll Get From My Book on Wildlife Biology Careers (Plus 2 Bonuses)
Aug. 23, 2020
I am so excited – My book on wildlife biology careers is finally available on pre-order for Kindle . The paperback version will be out next month. For the past year, I’ve been writing a book on wildlife biology careers from …
Mindful Conservation with Ashley Scarlett
Aug. 15, 2020
Conservation is all about trying to protect and save plants, animals, and other organisms from going extinct. We do this work because we love nature, and it’s tough to read stories about people or organizations poaching wild…
Pinterest for Science Communication and Conservation
Aug. 9, 2020
If you’ve listened to previous episodes of the podcast (like # and #), you know how important communication to the public is for science and conservation. Many scientists are on Twitter, Instagram, and even Tik Tok now, but …
Starting a SciComm Business with Chris Cloney
Aug. 2, 2020
On this episode, I interviewed Dr. Chris Cloney , a combustible dust fire and explosion researcher who created a six-figure online business from his blog. My podcast tends to focus on wildlife and conservation, so why am I i…
What is Science Really? And the Need to Communicate
July 26, 2020
Within the past decade, there have been several prominent issues where the public has showed distrust in science and the scientists behind the studies: climate change, evolution, vaccines, and now COVID-19 and wearing masks.…
Career and YouTube Advice with Wildlife Biologist Kristina Lynn
July 19, 2020
In today’s episode, I interview wildlife biologist and YouTuber Kristina Lynn on what it’s like to be a wildlife biologist and her success going viral on YouTube. She offers lots of great career tips and fun stories. Kristin…
7 Steps to Find Your Wildlife Career Path and Become Competitive for the Job You Want
July 16, 2020
This is a bonus episode! I recorded a webinar on Monday night to talk about my new Confusion to Clarity beta group. I realized that I had a Zoom audio file too and thought it would be a good addition to the podcast because e…
Bats are the Best! Bat Fun with Bat Biologist Lisa Gatens
July 12, 2020
Every day in the summer summer around dusk, I would look up above and see bats flying above my yard. I love bats, but so many people don’t. But bats are SO COOL! In this episode I talk with my friend and bat biologist Lisa G…
Has Poaching Decreased for Elephants?
July 5, 2020
Elephants are sought after for their ivory, which comes from their tusks. In most countries, it is illegal, but this has’t stopped people from killing them. Elephant poaching was at its highest ever within the past two decad…
10 Best Activities to Connect to Wildlife
June 28, 2020
Over the summer, kids go to summer camps and aspiring wildlife biologists have technician positions, internships, or volunteer opportunities. With COVID-19 causing much of the country to shut down, many outdoor programs for …
My Big Mistake in My Wildlife Biology Career and How You Can Learn From it
June 21, 2020
I have been applying for jobs in wildlife biology on and off since I graduated with my Ph.D. in 2012. While I knew jobs in academia were competitive, I didn't realize until after I finished school, how competitive careers in…
Sunscreen and Coral Reefs and You
June 14, 2020
t's summertime which means lots of people are headed to the beach, which also means lots of sunscreen. But before you grab a new bottle, you might not have known that what you put on your body has been harming ocean life in …
Bird Basics with Ornithologist Lauren Pharr
June 7, 2020
Birds are one of my favorite backyard animals because they are everywhere! I invited ornithologist Lauren Pharr on the podcast to discuss bird basics. In this episode we go over: How to attract birds to your backyard includi…
3 Tips for Aspiring Wildlife Biologists Stuck at Home
June 5, 2020
Summer is a key time for aspiring wildlife biologists. To be successful in this career, you need experience. Most wildlife biologists conduct their field work in the summer when professors don't have to teach and students do…
See a Snake? What to do and Resources for Identifying Snakes
June 1, 2020
I grew up loving snakes, but I also grew up in an area with 0 venomous snakes. Since then I've lived alongside venomous snakes in Kenya, Gabon, and now North Carolina, where I see them on a near-regular basis. But guess what…
Wildlife Biologist Job Questions Answered!
May 27, 2020
I frequently get emails asking me wildlife biologist questions: what we do, how we spend our time, and how you can better prepare for a career in wildlife biology. In this special episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I ag…