The Walking Classroom Science Career Series

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn visits with Bob Alderink at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Bob shares how his childhood passions for science and early cultures led him to his current role as Coordinator of an investigations lab at the museum. He shares the importance of learning about and understanding the natural world and getting the public involved in scientific exploration.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn visits with Liz Baird, the Director of Education at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Liz shares how her role at the museum is to translate science into something students and the public can follow and about her own research on deep water canyons.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn talks with Colin Brammer, a entomologist and coordinator of the Natural Worlds Investigate Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Colin explains the characteristics of an insect and how they can be harmful and helpful to humans and the environment.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn talks with Dr. Paul Brinkman, Assistant Director of Paleontology and Geology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, as well as an historian of science. He explains how we can learn much about science through the study of the lives and work of scientists throughout history.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn talks with Dr. Jason Cryan, the Deputy Museum Director for Research and Collections, as well as an entomologist at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Jason shares about the immense biodiversity in the insect world and what happens when scientists discover a new species.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn gets to know Dr. Dan Dombrowski, Chief Veterinarian at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Dan discusses what a veterinarian does at a museum and the observation and learning opportunities for the public.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn talks with Chris Goforth, who is the Senior Manager of Citizen Science at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science and is studying to become an aquatic entomologist. Chris explains how a childhood fear became a passion and career, what citizen science is, and how everyone can get involved.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn gets to know Ben Hess, the Collections Manager of Mammals at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Ben shares about how he studies collections of shrews in order to research and learn more about northern and southern short-tail shrews in North Carolina.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn visits Dr. Julie Horvath, the Director of Genomics and Microbiology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Dr. Horvath explains genetics and genomics and how after thorough research, scientists work to get their findings published.

The Walking Classroom’s Laura Fenn talks with Dr. Roland Kays, a zoologist and Director of the Biodiversity Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Dr. Kays explains how he and other scientists discovered a new species of mammal and how old museum specimens help scientist make new discoveries.