As someone who has spent two decades in the wildlife field, published nearly 30 peer-reviewed papers, and worked across multiple continents in various wildlife roles, I know firsthand the challenges and opportunities in this…
In the fiercely competitive world of wildlife biology and conservation, insider knowledge isn't just an advantage—it's a game-changer. That's why this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, featuring Matt Howard, is an abso…
This Fancy Scientist podcast episode is quite literally years in the making. I first got the idea when one of my students in the Successful Wildlife Professional, which is my signature wildlife career group mentoring program…
Working in the conservation field innately involves loss from which is often accompanied by feelings of sadness, grief, anger, and even depression. The whole point of our field is to save species and ecosystems that are faci…
I first came across Ana Yi Soto's work through a LinkedIn post she created on language justice that went viral and due to its importance, she later decided to repost in the Society for Conservation Biology forum. In her post…
As early as the second episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I’ve been talking about the negative impacts of "animal selfies.” This refers to when people post photos of themselves with an exotic animal. Although selfies a…
As someone who's been in this field for 20 years, I know what it’s like to be in your shoes - from struggling graduate students to successful wildlife professionals - I understand the rollercoaster of emotions and challenges…
What does it take to be successful in wildlife careers? You might be thinking: Lots of experience in far away places Having a strong network of top scientists and other wildlife professionals Knowing GIS like a pro Courses i…
If you’re like most people pursuing a wildlife career, at some point, you’ve felt like you’re giving it your all, but going nowhere. Like a field vehicle stuck in the mud, you’re pressing the gas pedal as hard as you can, bu…
On the surface, it seems like careers in wildlife are pretty financially solid. If you search online for how much wildlife biologists make, you’ll discover it’s about $70K here in the US. In fact, when I discovered wildlife …
Networking is super important. As someone who has been in the wildlife field for over 20 years and has attended countless scientific conferences since 2006, I know firsthand how networking can influence your career success. …
Have you heard of scientific conferences, but are not sure what they are? Do you think you should be attending, but aren’t sure exactly why? Or are you attending scientific conferences, but not getting as much out of them as…
When I was working as a postdoctoral researcher studying wildlife using camera traps, I had the pleasure of working alongside Dr. Liz Kalies who was integral in modeling the results of our large-scale projects. Back then, we…
As someone who deeply values the importance of connecting people with nature, I was thrilled to have John Muir Laws as a guest on the latest episode of The Fancy Scientist podcast. Ever since completing my PhD and working wi…
This week, I’m continuing to turn the tables on conservation podcasters by interviewing them. I had the great pleasure of sitting down with one of the Earth to Humans podcast hosts, Hannah Mulvany. Earth to Humans explores h…
I was instantly captivated when I first discovered Crystal DiMicelli's podcast, Forces for Nature. You know that feeling when you find someone who shares your passion and vibe on a level that just feels right? Well, that's e…
When it comes to careers in wildlife, one of the things you’ll hear me say over and over again is that you need to go after what you want - you can’t just sit back and wait for things to happen. YOU have to make them happen.…
This week’s episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast was inspired by an extremely honest and vulnerable article by Georgina Mayhew called The Conservation Career Trap . When I posted this in my Getting a Job in Wildlife Biolog…
The wisdom of Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer's book Braiding Sweetgrass has lingered in my mind and heart for quite some time. This episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast is pretty different from past ones, and I'm excited to explo…
I have so many followers interested in careers in wildlife rehabilitation so I am especially excited about this week’s episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast. I sat down with veterinarian nurse and wildlife rehabilitator, Jo…
Around the world, carnivores have been and still are heavily persecuted. Although the percentages are low, they do kill livestock, pets, and even people. The most common knee-jerk reaction for people is to do something about…
I'm thrilled to bring you another exciting episode this week on the Fancy Scientist podcast with National Geographic explorer and science writer Jon Waterman. Jon is not only an author of an impressive 15 books, but a modern…
This week’s podcast is a little different - instead of interviewing a guest or even doing a solo episode, it’s an excerpt from a professional development session in my Successful Wildlife Professional program. I had my stude…
A big lesson that I learned from studying abroad in Kenya is that the key to understanding a place's wildlife and conservation issues is to connect with the people living there. When my travels led me to Brazil, I knew I ha…
